


Nico di Angelo and the Threads of Chaos

by rennigann



Category: Percy Jackson and the Olympians - Rick Riordan
Genre: 5 years after The Last Olympian, Character Death, Epic Battles, Eventual Smut, Fluff and Angst, Full Length Novel, M/M, Male Homosexuality, Monsters, Older Percy and Nico, Prophecies, Resurrection, Slow Burn, Smut
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-09-28
Updated: 2018-07-12
Packaged: 2019-01-06 13:37:48
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 11
Words: 39,178
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12212334
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rennigann/pseuds/rennigann
Summary: Chaos exists in a world that is forever eternal.  Tartarus, the realm of unmaking and inexistence.  For millennia, he has watched as his spawn grew in his essence only to make their mark upon the mortal world.  And that world has all but forgotten the realm of darkness resting between the folds.  Consumed with wrath at having been forgotten, he and his cult of followers and monsters have found a way to create a tear between planes, a rift that will allow Tartarus and the Mortal world to become one, making it impossible for monsters to ever be banished and all but immortal. For Tartarus to be the supreme ruler of this realm, and all realms to come.Meanwhile - Nico di Angelo, after the events of the Last Olympian has retreated to his senior year, hoping to find peace of mind in a mortal environment. But of course - danger tends to follow demigods, and Nico Di’Angelo is no excuse, especially when a certain sea god son arrives at his final exams.Please see chpt 3 for announcement.





	1. School's Out

**Author's Note:**

> Like I stated in the tags, this isn't for readers who are looking for a quick fluff/smut story. This is going to read like a Percy Jackson novel - of course, it will be a bit more mature, containing more gore, romance (smutt included later on in the story) and angst. It will follow Nico di Angelo, who is the main protagonist and Percy Jackson as well as explore other minor characters. Updates will be on every other Tuesday.

 

 

 

_The weave of the world will unravel,_

_The threads of existence unwound._

_To the realm of unmaking they will travel,_

_Where he whom is nothing lies bound._

_Enveloped in storms, seas and hellfire,_

_Hides the forsaken soldier’s blade._

_Burning in the broken black spire,_

_To shadow and sea he will fade._

 

* * *

 

 

_The sky was nothing but fractals of red, charcoal grey and black; a never ending storm that churned and roared above the fields of emptiness that seemed to extend in every direction as far as the eye could see. The air tasted like smoke and fire, the taste of acid lining on one’s tongue.  A swirling vortex of darkness in the sky seemed to sputter and churn, lightning lashing out from its depths and as a crackle of electricity swept across the sky, a creature emerged from the shadows of the abyss like lands, her clawed feet curving into the ash as she stepped to the top of a hill, looking up into the sky._

_“Daughter,” the sky seemed to rumble, the deep, ancient voice vibrating the very ground the creature stood upon. “You come with news.”_

_“The oracle has spoken,” the creature hissed, almost hesitantly. “It seems there is an...intrusion upon your plans.”_

_There was a long drawn silence for a moment. The creature shifted anxiously, waiting then finally his voice spoke, lowered several octaves. “An intrusion.”_

_“Nothing that will hinder you, my lord. But there are two that may cause a temporary setback.”_

_She didn’t seem to anticipate the chuckle that the primordial emitted - the very sound nearly tore a rift in the ground upon which the creature stood and she danced back frightfully, peering down into the thin crevice at the bottom of which she could see bubbling, boiling lava. “A setback,” he mused coldly. “And who are these two.”_

_“Perseus Jackson.” She spoke the words with bitter hate and she could almost feel the cruel smile upon her father’s lips as his words echoed in her ear._

_“Yes, the boy who subdued you all those years....how pathetic. And what of the other.”_

_“Just a nameless runt, my lord. He’s chosen to abandon his heritage in favour of the mortal world.”_

_“Who is he.”_

_“The Ghost King. Nico di Angelo.”_

_“Find him. And bring him to me.”_

 

  

Jade eyes shot open as the male shot out of bed, panting. The cabin was deathly quiet as sweat dripped down his face in rivulets, his fingers curled so tightly around the ballpoint pen that his knuckles were white. He leaned forward as he gathered himself, blankets a ruffled mess around him and raven hair framed his tanned face, his jaw clenched. _Shit. Nico._

 

 

_Tap. Tap. Tap._

The pencil fell onto the table in rhythmic intervals, synced with the ticking sound of the clock posted up in front of the classroom. It was utterly silent, save for the sound of scratching pencils and a small cough here and there.  The room was filled with the air of tension - as it should be. Only a few weeks from graduation, and exams had finally come. The tests that would shape the outcomes of their whole future.  

The young man in the corner of the room had to stifle a chuckle at the thought.

Placing his pencil to his temple, he leaned back in his seat, closing his eyes - exam finished in front of him. Damn. If exams were the most stressful things he’s had to worry about this year, he could tell you it’s been a _good_ year, if a bit uneventful. But at this point, uneventful was just fine.

Dark eyes snapped open as the bell rang, and the class seemed to exhale a synchronized sigh as everyone gathered up their bags and pencils. “Only one more hour,” encouraged the frazzle haired teacher in the students shoved their shit into their bags.  “Nico di Angelo, can you come here for a moment?”

Nico glanced up and he frowned, tucking his bag underneath his arm as he slid past the other students towards the front of the room. “Yes?”

“I’d like to ask you to not tap your pencil on the desk for your next exam. It was quite distracting.”

A few students from behind him sniggered, and a bloody blush rose up on Nico’s cheeks. “Sorry.”

As he gathered his belongings and slid from the room he heaved a sigh. He couldn’t help it. Years of battle reflex that was engraved into his brain made it impossible to just sit still - especially sitting still when he’s nervous.  

He almost stumbled at the thought, a wry smile passing over his lips.

Stressing about exams...how funny.

Stopping, he gazed out at the parking lot, where he could see a group of kids ready to split after having finished their exams. Backpacks slung over their shoulders, with the cool spring breeze ruffling their clothes and hair, they stood without a care in the world. Not having to worry about gods and monsters and prophecies....it had been five long years since he left Camp Half-Blood.  Five years since the end of the Great Prophecy, and Kronos’ banishment to the pits of Tartarus.  Bouncing from place to place, the Son of Hades had traveled all over the country until he’d finally settled here, at Rushmore High - all the way across the country in Washington.  

He’d gotten as far away from Camp as he possibly could. And considering he hadn’t had a single monster encounter, he could consider his retreat a success.

“Hey, Nico?”

Nico jolted, glancing away from the window to the girl that stood beside him. He immediately felt a bloody red blush rise up on his cheeks. Samantha Hall. She’d asked him to prom last month - which he promptly denied before tripping and falling on his face.  “What?” he muttered, shouldering his bag awkwardly, fiddling with the strap and she smirked, green eyes traveling up to his as she brushed dark hair out of her face.

“I was just hoping you’d walk me to class.”

Before he could flee, she hooked an arm around his and, after a brief look towards his only escape - the three story window, sullenly allowed himself to be dragged along down the hallway with this girl, who chattered in his ear about how excited she was about the end of the school year.  

She wasn’t a bad person.

Nico actually somewhat...enjoyed their time together. She was kind, she was funny.

He just couldn’t stand to look at her. Green eyes, black hair, tanned surfer skin...it made his stomach roll and finally Nico grunted as they reached her class, twisting out of her grasp as he fiddled with the upturned collar of his dark, leather coat. “There.”

“Hey...are you okay?”

“I’m fine...see you later.”

He could feel her eyes on the back of his head as he shrugged past students gathered at their lockers, dark eyes cast downwards as his teeth ground together.  

_Are you okay._

_What are you thinking about?_

_Is everything alright?_

_Yeah. Everything’s fine. You just remind me painfully of the biggest asshole I’ve ever met in my life._ The name which he’d tried so hard to swallow throughout the year seemed to dance on the tip of his tongue and he gave a low, involuntary hiss, curving his fingers around the strap against his shoulder.

That boy...the Hero of Olympus. _Perseus Jackson._

 

He made sure to keep himself still during the next two hours of his exam. A feat that was so taxing that he’d resorted to chewing through his lip as his pencil scratched against the paper.  Almost finished. He’d managed to get straight A’s throughout the entire year, making the honor roll one year after another as he navigated his way through High School, despite being riddled with ADHD and dyslexia like other demigods.

And this was it. He’d already taken his SAT - one of the highest scores into the school, allowing him a full scholarship to whatever school he chose.

...but then what?

He tried not to think about it. One step at a time, di Angelo. And the next step ends, after this bubble is filled in-

_Beep. Beep. Beep._

Red lights and sirens blared throughout the school as immediately, the showers overhead exploded into water that cascaded down into the classroom. As students screamed and leapt up, automatically diving to protect their cellphones from the water Nico’s hand was already shoved downwards where his fingers wrapped around the pocket knife concealed in his pocket.

As the fire alarm screamed, the teacher shoved her glasses up the bridge of her nose, standing quickly. “Everyone downstairs!” she cried out. “Follow the escape route to the parking lot, leave your belongings here!”

A cascade of students pushed their way outside, a melting pot of voices swallowing Nico up as he followed the herd. His senses were like lightning, picking up everything. The dismayed voices of students fussing over their now soaked exams. The alarm that trumpeted rhythmically in his ears. The golden eyes that gazed out at him from down a hall- wait.

Nico skidded to a stop, twisting around. He was nearly run over by the hundreds of kids pushing their way outside as he stopped in the middle of the hall but he planted his feet, gazing down the skinny, locker flanked hall. It was dark, the lights flickering and vision blurry as water continued to pour down from the ceiling sprinklers. But he saw nothing.  

“Mr. di Angelo, I implore you to get moving!” He looked back to his chemistry teacher, a bald little old man who was using a binder as an umbrella and he muttered an apology, moving ahead.

 _I hadn’t imagined that...there’s something here in the school. Did it set off that alarm?_ His fingers twisted the knife in his pocket as he grated his teeth. Typical. He’d gone all year without any...incidents, and they chose today to come and screw things up?

He turned the corner - the double doors leading out into the parking lot when suddenly he was jerked nearly off his feet as something grabbed his collar and wrenched him backwards. His sound of protest was muffled by a hand that was placed over his mouth as he was dragged around a corner and into the darkness of a flickering hallway, and Nico snarled, trying to pry out of the strong arms that were wrapped around him when a voice hissed in his ear.

“Quiet! Did she see you?”

Nico stilled, his eyes widening.

_Oh, you have got to be kidding me._

Nico growled, grabbing the hand and wrenched it downwards. “ _Percy.”_ He hissed. “Let me go.”

The older compiled, the grip around his torso loosening and Nico scrambled away, staring at the other dumbfounded. Percy was here. Percy was in his school. And looked like he’d ran fifty miles to get there.

The guy’s tanned skin was caked with mud, blood and sweat, ebon hair disheveled and his white shirt was stained with dirt. And in his hand, uncapped and glinting crimson in the flashing lights, Riptide was extended three feet in front of him as he pressed his back against the lockers, looking feverishly down the hall.

“Percy,” Nico snapped. “What are you doing-”

“Shh!” Percy twisted his head around, placing a finger to his lips. “Quiet, it might hear you. Hopefully this distraction was enough to catch it off guard...”

“This distraction... _did you pull the fire alarm?”_

“What? Oh, yeah. Now quiet, and follow me.”

Nico’s jaw dropped as Percy, immediately backed down the hall. Nico hesitated only for a moment before he cussed under his breath and jogged to keep up with Percy. He had no idea what was going on, but he knew Percy wasn’t easily phased and right now, he could tell something was very wrong.  So he kept quiet, eyes searching Percy’s face as the other led him through the school building that was now all but empty.  

Percy skidded to a stop, hands tightening around Riptide that was now poised in front of them and Nico narrowed his eyes, scooting around to ask what was wrong when he saw it - the silhouette of a creature, coming down the hall. Big, with hair that seemed to writhe and twist and hiss.

Percy grabbed Nico’s shoulder, dragging him into an unused classroom and the next thing Nico knew, his back was slammed against the wall, the door to his left and Percy in front of him, chest close to his and green eyes focused on the entrance, both hands pressed against the wall above Nico’s head, like he was a shield.

For a moment, there was silence. Nico was trying not to focus on the fact that Percy wasn’t even an inch away from him when he heard the sound of hissing. Like hundreds of snakes, and he could hear clawed feet and scales sliding against the floor.  Then it stopped. He could hear the creature sniffing about, and the telltale sound of two blades sliding out of leather sheaths - when there was the voices of students, coming around the corner, accompanied by the sounds of their chatter. The creature was then gone, and as Nico glanced around Percy down the hall he caught the slightest glimpse of it - almost like a centaur, but with a reptilian lower half and two, curved blades in its hand as it shot down the hallway and disappeared.

The strength seemed to leave Percy’s arms as he exhaled, face ashen and his hands fell away from Nico. “Damn, that was close.” He looked at Nico, and blinked as he met the other’s furious and suspicious eyes. “What?”

“ _What do you mean_ **_what?!_ ** _”_

“Shh! Keep your voice down.”

“I swear to god, Jackson you’d better tell me what’s going on or I’m going to shishkabob you.”

“I will, I swear! But we need to get out of here. Through the window.”

Percy was racing towards the window that dropped one story down, snapping off the window locks. Pushing it up, he backed away and nodded to Nico. “Go. I’ll follow.”

Nico strode up to the window, looking down. It was a fifteen foot drop all the way down and he looked at Percy incredulously. “You’ve got to be kidding.”

“Nico, we have to go, she could be-!”

The wall exploded, debris blasting towards them and the boys covered their faces, coughing as the fumes of the blast filled their lungs. Their hair was flattened against their foreheads from the water and Nico blinked through the ash and dust at the creature that now filled the room and his eyes widened, his voice caught in his throat. The massive creature swept into the room, scaled hands gripping scimitars as she cackled maliciously. He knew what this creature was. Her face was human, her hair nothing but writhing snakes and her lower half was similar to that of a centaur - but instead of horse legs, the lower half of a dragon swept into the room, scaled green talons clawing into the ground as she dragged her reptilian belly across the floor towards the pair.

Kampe.

Percy snapped into action first, a snarl tearing from his throat as he brandished Riptide. “Nico, get out!” But he made it not two steps before Kampe’s tail lashed out, catching him in the chest and Percy gave an ‘oof!’ as he was thrown off his feet, sent flying back across the classroom and his head cracked hard against the wall as he slumped to the ground, dazed. Riptide was lying at Nico’s feet, and Kampe used one of her talons to push it out of the way, the bronze sword skating across the floor.

 _“Son of Hades,_ ” Kampe hissed, yellow eyes narrowed to slits as a forked tongue slipped between her pale lips. She smelled of chlorine and acid, her skin bubbling and boiling. _“My father anxiously wishes to see you.”_ Her laughter dragged against sandpaper as she twirled her scimitars. “ _Of course....I can’t guarantee how many pieces you will arrive in. Let’s see, shall we.”_

Nico’s body was on autopilot as the scimitar came curving towards his torso. His hand dove into his pocket as he ducked down, the dangerous weapon arching over his head, slicing off the ends of his hair and immediately, retreated backwards a few steps, his pocket knife in hand. He flipped the blade up, but rather than a knife it extended into a black blade, the obsidian stygian iron glinting malevolently in the flashing red lights. Kampe seemed to hiss in distaste at the sight of the weapon, hesitating only for a moment before she charged forward, scimitars a blur as they came at Nico.

It took everything he had to keep those blades from touching his skin.  For he remembered all too well the penalty of those toxic blades cutting into you.  A scimitar narrowly missed his arm and Nico hissed in alarm, dancing backwards and his spine crashed against the blackboard, his head slamming upa gainst the wall. He gasped, ducking down and Kampe arched the sword over his head with a frustrated roar, the blade tearing clean through the wall and Nico rolled away, coming up on his feet, panting.

He wasn’t sure how much longer he could keep this up.

Kampe was immortal - one of the most dangerous monsters in existence. And like a snake cornering its prey, her golden eyes lit up with excitement as she cackled, the snakes around her rearing back as her claws tore through the ground, pulling her closer to him. _“How could one such as you be a threat,”_ she seemed to hiss to herself. _“A nameless, homeless runt who chooses to live among parasites. You are nothing._ ”

“Nico!”

Kampe stilled, black blood spitting from her mouth as a bronze blade burst through her chest and her eyes narrowed as she swung a scimitar backwards towards Percy who dove out of the way, racing to the window. “Come on!” he shouted, leaping down and disappeared.

Nico turned back towards Kampe, who was already wrenching Riptide out of her back, eyes landing hatefully on Nico. His feet were a blur beneath him as he charged towards the window, placing a palm on the edge and he vaulted over, just as a scimitar was biting into the wall right where his throat had been and he hurdled down towards the ground.

He landed hard on Percy who was just picking himself up, and the two boys fell to the ground in a tangled, groaning mess. “Did that stop her?” Percy muttered, squinting up into the sunlight.

The wall burst apart as Kampe crawled out from the room and down the school like a spider, tongue lashing out and her claws tearing into the stone as she scurried down, her eyes nothing but malicious, molten orbs of gold.

“Guess not,” Nico replied dryly, the two leaping up to their feet.

Nico had no idea what the mortals that surrounded them saw, but it must have been terrifying, because they were screaming and racing around in a panic away from the pair and the creature that was approaching them, drawing her scimitars. Percy seemed to stand in front of Nico, his lips pulled back in a snarl. “Nice to see you again,” he said coolly.

“ _Perseus Jackson,_ ” Kampe hissed, stopping in the middle of the parking lot to point a scimitar at the pair. “ _You have interfered for the last-!”_

A school bus smashed into her, blasting her away and she crashed into the gymnasium that burst into an explosion of debris and dust.

The two stood petrified, not believing their good fortune and were pulled out of their paralysis as the blaring sirens of a firetruck split through the panic, the massive vehicle skidding into the parking lot.

“We need to go,” Percy panted, backing towards the woods. “Before she comes back.”

He left Nico there as he sped backwards into the forest that dominated the back of the high school. Nico took a few steps, before he hesitated, glancing backwards. The school that he’d grown...fond of was now in flames from the ruins of their battle.  A pillar of thick, black smoke rose up into the sky and Nico grated his teeth, flipping his black blade back into a pocket knife as he sauntered after Percy into the cover of the woods.

Yet again, Percy Jackson has entered his life and destroyed it.

 


	2. The Twilight Flight

The flames that licked out towards Nico danced dully as he poked it with a stick. Moving some of the kindling aside the sparks leaped up towards the night sky, momentarily lighting up his face in faded crimson. The boy’s features were shallow and gaunt in the light, casting shadows across his olive skin and he exhaled, leaning back. Eyes tilted towards the stars, thick virgin trees surrounding them and the night was alive with the sounds of chirps and croaking springtime frogs.

They’d traveled for a couple hours into the forest before they decided to make camp.  Percy had been staying in this location for the last day or so while he tracked down Nico, and there were provisions and supplies laying about. Percy was off somewhere in the night gathering some wood for the fire to consume while they slept and keep away any animals. That was fine with Nico. He needed to be alone for a while anyways.

Everything had happened so fast. One moment, he was finishing his last exam and finalizing his year as a regular, civilian senior student. And now, here he was back in the wilderness on the run with a demigod that he would rather deck in the nose than spend a single night with.  

Funny how life throws you these curveballs.

There was a shaking and a trembling from the nearby undergrowth and Nico tensed, fingers immediately going for his pocket knife when Percy emerged from the trees, his arms wrapped around several thick logs and Nico scowled, turning his eyes back to the fire. “This should keep it going for a couple hours,” Percy muttered, heaving the logs down with a huff as he strode tiredly to sit on a tree stump, swiping the back of his hand across his forehead. “At least until morning, then we can start moving again.”

Nico didn’t answer.

Percy frowned and looked over. Nico was careful to keep his gaze locked on the fire as he continued to prod it idly with his stick, but he could feel Percy’s searching, emerald eyes watching him. Finally, Percy gave a long sigh. “You’re angry.”

“No shit.”

“I saved your life.”

Nico grated his teeth. “I wouldn’t have needed saving if you hadn’t come back in the first place, Jackson. Everything was  _ fine _ until you showed up. I had my own place, I was going to school.” The stick snapped in his hand and he twisted around to glare at Percy, his jaw set. “The hell makes you think you can just walk into my school, blow it up and drag me away from the one solid thing I’ve built for myself.”

He could see the guilt etched on the other’s face as he spoke. Percy patiently waited until he was finished speaking before he exhaled through his nose and glanced over. “I wouldn’t have come if I didn’t have to,” he promised quietly. “I told you I’d respect your decision when you said you were leaving camp.”

“Then why are you here.”

“I had a dream.”

Nico’s eyes darkened as he listened to Percy explain his dream. The abyss like realm, the creature - that they both knew to be Kampe now - this person that she referred to as father. And that she was going to be going after him and Percy. “But..” he muttered. “Kampe’s father is..”

“I know.” Percy pushed his fingers through his hair, leaning back until the starlight touched his sea green eyes. “I know...that’s why I think we need to go to Camp and tell Chiron what’s going on.”

“Have fun with that.” 

Nico stood up, striding around Percy to pluck up a water bottle from Percy’s supplies he’d brought with him, lifting it to his lips. Percy twisted around to scowl at Nico. “If you’re involved in this, you know we’re going to need your help.”

“Why?” Nico muttered, rolling his eyes. “I’ve been gone for five years, and no one’s needed me.”  _ Hell...no one even looked for me.  _

“If Tartarus really is starting to stir, it’s not good news, Nico. He’s literally the  _ father of all monsters.  _ If you really think you’re going to be safe going back to the mortal world then you’re an idiot. They’ll always be hunting you.”

“I’ve managed pretty well on my own.”

“Clearly, considering I just had to come and save your ass.”

Nico scoffed but didn’t respond, sitting heavily down on the log, his arms folded dejectedly around his knees that were pulled up into his chest. Percy was on his feet now, pacing around as he ran his fingers through his raven hair. “I know you don’t like us,” he muttered. “You haven’t been treated very well, I get it, okay? And I know you miss Bianca.” Nico’s eyes shot up but Percy shut him down before he could snap. “But the camp is in danger, Nico. Monsters have been gathering in New York, they’re planning something big. And we’re worried something might happen...we need you there if you’re involved with this. And if you do, I’ll...I’ll..”

“You’ll what.”

Percy stopped. He stared into the darkness of the forest, his jaw set as he ground his teeth before turning back to Nico, sea green eyes locked on the younger. “I promise I”ll never seek you out again. You can do whatever the hell you want.” 

“Deal.”

The word rolled off Nico’s tongue without a second thought. Percy’s expression turned to that of hurt for a moment before it was swept off, replaced by a masked grin as he strolled over, sitting down opposite of Nico to peer at him over the fire. “So this school you were at,” Percy conversed idly. “Tell me about it.”

“I was doing okay, I guess? I was getting good grades...had a couple friends, almost went to prom-”

“What?” Percy grinned and leaned forward. “Who did you ask?”

Nico’s cheeks flushed. “I didn’t ask anyone. She asked me.”

“Was she pretty?”

“Well, yeah.”

“So what’s the issue?”

Nico’s cheeks were still a bloody red. “Just not my type.” He quickly averted the subject as he stabbed at the fire again, igniting the sparks that burst momentarily in front of their faces. “I really liked the campus though. Normally you can’t find a nice medium between a nice campus and nice students. But Rushmore had both...the people were tolerable and there was a river in the back of the school with a gazebo and a place to dip your feet in.”

“Sounds nice. I didn’t pull you out of anything important, did I?”

“Only exams.”

Percy seemed to flinch and sent him an apologetic smile. “Always retakes, right?”

“Sure. So how are things back at camp.”

The very mention of Percy’s beloved camp had a mist of bliss washing over his eyes as he grinned tiredly, leaning back on his palms to tilt his head back up to the stars. “Camp is great,” he exhaled. “Mr. D was finally released from service so Chiron became the Camp Director.”

“What? And who’s the Activities Director?”

Percy smirked. “You’ll see.” The boy hesitated before he glanced over to Nico. “And...I’m going to propose to Annabeth.”

Nico didn’t respond for a long moment. His voice seemed to be caught in his throat as he gazed at the fire, his fingers wrapped so tightly around his stick that his knuckles were pale. “Congratulations.” His voice was stiff and unenthusiastic, but it seemed to go right over Percy’s head as the other grinned broadly.

“Thanks. We’ve been doing really well....Fourth of July is only in a month. I’m hoping to ask her to marry me.”

Nico’s stomach was now twisting. He rolled his eyes, bitterness seeming to roll off his tongue. “Congrats on getting hitched,” he muttered dryly, pushing himself off the stump and made his way over to the lightweight sleeping bag that was rolled out across the leaves. “I’m going to sleep. Night.”

He could feel Percy’s confused eyes locked onto the back of his head as he lowered himself down onto the bedroll, wrapping himself up and faced the trees. He could feel a knot in his throat, his fingers curled tightly around the fabric of his sleeping bag.   

Damn. Why was he so torn up about this. They haven’t even seen each other in years, he was just some crush when he was 12 years old. Besides...Percy was a man now. He was 21. And demigods have a tendency to live fast while they last. Considering he and Annabeth had been together for almost five years...well. This really shouldn’t have come as a surprise.

So why did it hurt so much. 

 

He was awoken to a small shake and he rolled over blearily to gaze at Percy who crouched over him, raven hair hidden beneath a baseball cap. “Morning, sunshine,” Percy said, standing up to kick lightly at Nico’s leg. “We have to get moving before Kampe catches our scent.”

Nico responded by tugging the edge of the sleeping bag over his head and rolled over to face the trees.

“I’ll dump a water bottle on your head.”

“You wouldn’t  **dare.”**

Silence. Maybe he gave up. With a satisfactory, victorious smile, Nico went to snuggle back down into his warm sleeping bag before a blast of freezing cold water hit the back of his neck and the boy practically leapt out of his skin as he stumbled clumsily up onto his feet - still wrapped up in the sleeping bag like a cocoon only to trip on the nearest root and come crashing down, his chin cracking into the ground.

“You up now?” Percy laughed as he crouched down by Nico who sent him up a death glare. “Good, we’re going to Camp today.”

Nico pressed his palms into the ground as he pushed himself up, lifting his head to gaze at Percy curiously as he shrugged their supplies up onto his back.  “Camp is on the other side of the country. How are we going to get there  _ today? _ ”

“Oh, you know. Just a flight.”

“....Zeus will roast  _ both  _ of us if we get into a plane.”

Percy looked over his shoulder, his eyes twinkling. “Whoever said we’re using a plane.” 

 

Trudging through the woods, their boots sank down into the ground, damp from the morning mist that was beginning to rise up around them like a silver veil. Beams of sunlight cracked through the leaves above, striking the mist and fanning out as if it had struck into a heart of a diamond, reflecting on every leaf and stone that they passed. 

Percy led the way, carrying double the bags Nico was, claiming that they needed to go quickly and even still, Nico was having difficulty keeping up. While he made sure to train with his blade every single day he’d certainly been missing out on the grueling exercises and regimens that the Camp maintained - something that Percy clearly had been getting plenty of. As the son of Poseidon hoisted himself up a steep incline, twisting around to grab Nico’s arm and help him up he could see the way the sunlight curved around Percy’s muscles, reflecting against his golden tan as he hoisted Nico up next to him. 

“How much further?” Nico asked.

“Not much further. Half a mile or so?”

He still hadn’t explained where they were going.  Huffing, Nico shouldered his bag, shoving his hand into his leather jacket as he followed after the elder boy, keeping close to his heels.  As Percy used his forearm to push away some branches, he gestured Nico forward and he trudged ahead, ducking underneath, then squinted against the sunlight that suddenly blasted him, peering through his fingers. 

Having emerged from the woods, they entered into a field, and padding along the tall grasses and stretching out their wings nervously at the approach of two strangers, the pegasi watched them curiously and warily.  

“We’re flying on those?” Nico asked meekly as Percy strode forward confidently, tailing behind.

“It’s safe,” Percy said, his voice already having taken on a different, softer tone as he approached the animals, reaching out his hand. For a moment, the closest pegasi reared back, before recognition glinted in its intelligent dark eyes and the creature gave an enthusiastic toss of its head as it trotted forward to push its nose eagerly into Percy’s waiting palm.  And just like that, all the pegasi in the pasture cantered over, wings stretched with excitement as they all tried to get closer to the Son of Poseidon - the son of their maker. 

Nico meanwhile stood awkwardly a little ways away, shifting from foot to foot. Percy spotted him overtop the horses that surrounded him and he grinned, waving him over. “Nico, come here. I promise they won’t hurt you.”

“I think I’d rather stay here.”

Percy scoffed, rolling his eyes and he clicked his tongue. A silver pegasi ruffled its feathers as it came to Percy, and followed him as the elder led the creature over to Nico. “This one will be yours,” Percy said,guiding the pegasus over to Nico. Nico practically jumped as Percy grabbed his wrist. 

“Wait, Percy-!” His voice died in his throat as Percy lowered his hand gently on the pegasus’ fur. For a moment, Nico was still, and could feel Percy’s eyes trained on him as he watched the animal in front of him. Finally, Nico’s fingers curled into the pegasus’ fur and he gave a small nod.

Percy smiled. “Can you get up on your own?” He asked as he clicked his tongue. A palomino emerged from the herd, moving to shove its head underneath Percy’s arm like a dog, enticing him to give it a couple strokes along its neck.

“No. I’ve got it.”

Percy shrugged, turning to mount his pegasus, swinging himself up onto its back.

Nico turned back to the pegasus, his cheeks red. 

The pegasus watched him expectantly.

Yeah. He’s got this.

Awkwardly, he grabbed onto the pegasus’ hair - only to lurch back as it gave a sound of irritation at having its hair pulled. He tried to lift his leg up over its bare back - only to not have it reach and he hopped on one foot a couple times, trying to push his leg over and he could feel his face heating by the second. “Come on,” he muttered with irritation - before he felt a hand grab at the back of his neck, lifting his other foot up off the ground and pulled him up onto the pegasus.

Nico steadied himself, before giving Percy an irritated glare. The other raised his hands in surrender. “Just giving you a hand,” Percy soothed. 

“Okay, so how do you work these things,” Nico muttered, placing his hands tentatively on the pegasus’ neck. At his words, the pegasus gave an annoyed sound as it buried its hoof into the ground. 

“These  _ things _ have names. The one you’re riding is Cecilia.”

“Wait. You can speak to them?”

“Yeah. And don’t worry about it, she’ll follow me.”

“Got any tips for a first time flyer?”

Percy hesitated, tapping his finger on his lip as he watched Nico appraisingly. “Hm. Yeah. Don’t look down.” Like that would solve everything, Percy clicked his tongue and immediately the palomino’s wings shot out and lifted the creature up into the sky, only a few strokes of its wings carrying it high up into the air. And Nico barely even had time to breathe before Cecilia followed suit, nearly slipping from her back as she rose up into the sky. 

He barely even noticed that he’d dug his fingers into her hair, his face pressed into her neck until he felt her rough fur against his nose and he squinted past the air and wind that was rushing into his eyes, managing to peek out from beyond her mane. He could see Percy out ahead, seeming to guide the pegasus as easily as he would guide his blade, the slightest tilt controlling the pegasus and Nico’s own followed closely behind.  

He felt like he was going to vomit. Nico di Angelo belonged on the ground, or under it. Not up in the air, especially not in the turf of Zeus - a god that was, naturally not so fond of his nephews. And then he made the mistake of looking down. His entire vision seemed to lurch as he experienced vertigo, and he could feel the bile rising up into his throat as he swallowed it down, twisting around to train his eyes forward.

He hadn’t noticed Percy at his side until the other had pulled up next to him, watching him closely. “You doing okay?” he called out and Nico gave a nod, his face a certain shade of green and grey. Percy frowned, not entirely convinced but he nodded, gesturing ahead. “We have a day of flying, the pegasi will be able to carry us to Camp Half-Blood and we’ll reach it by midnight.”

A whole day of flying. Yay.

At this point, he noticed that the rest of the pegasi flock had decided to join them on their flight. With the golden glow of dawn peeking up over the mountains, it sent rays of flaxen light down upon their feathers, making them shimmer and shine as they glided through the air. Their wings sliced through the wind like a knife through butter, carrying them quicker than a car over the forests and the streams beneath them.  

“Nico.”

Nico looked over, face still ashen. Percy was watching him with a mixture of guilt and concern. “Just relax,” he called out. “You won’t fall.”

“Right,” Nico squeaked, his voice raised several octaves.  His death grip on the pegasus’ mane, which the pegasus patiently accepted and waited out, finally began to loosen as he sat up straighter on the creature’s back. The warm wind that was hitting his face suddenly escalated into a gust that blew about his raven treads. While Nico was occupied in trying not to fall to his death, he glanced over. Percy had tilted his face back to the sky, grinning broadly as rays of sunshine latched onto his skin, arms outstretched like he had wings of his own.  

His confidence made Nico feel more at ease, and he settled his body down onto the pegasus’ back with more ease, something that she seemed to appreciate as she gave a happy toss of her head, flapping her wings to speed up beside Percy’s. 

“When we get to camp,” Percy called over. “I’ll help you learn how to ride.”

“I’m not staying,” Nico called over the wind in a reminder. It seemed Percy still thought his stay at Camp would be a permanent one.  

In fact, Percy seemed to all but ignore the comment, his lips flatlined across his features as he wordlessly pressed his ankles into the horse’s side and flew ahead. 

They didn’t speak again until several hours later. The sun was now high in the sky, and Nico could start to feel the telltale burn on the back of his neck as the sun pounded against his skin and he heard his stomach growl and churn. As if on cue, Percy tilted his pegasus over to come level with Nico’s. “Hey, are you getting hungry?” he called over the wind and Nico nodded. “All right, we’re flying over Minnesota right now and there’s a town below, we can get some grub.”

“Sounds like a plan,” Nico called back and the two angled their pegasi down into a dive towards the ground - unaware of the crimson pair of eyes that was watching them from the shadow of the woods below.  


	3. ANNOUNCEMENT

First, sorry guys for the delay for those who wanted this story continued but here's the dealio.   
The author of this story and official owner of this account became very ill a while back and was unable to write or keep up with his novels. And he's now incapable of continuing said stories. I was his co-writer in writing one of his larger PJO fanfictions (Blood of Hecate which was over 500 pages long and the second book, The Fountain of Purity which is 300 something) so I'll be continuing this story for him off all of his notes. I'm not as fast of a writer as he is lmao but I'll have a new chapter up for you guys soon.

Hope you guys enjoy!!!


	4. The New Director

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you haven't read the Chapter 3 Announcement, please do so

Nico wasn’t sure what was worse. The fact that his breakfast was upchucked earlier once they got back into the air and he hasn’t been able to eat since, or that his ass was burning from an entire day of riding. Every muscle in his body felt like it was on fire and he’d finally resorted to just flopping forward, resting his chin on the pegasus’ neck as he reclined against it tiredly - something that Cecilia, fortunately, did not seem to mind.  His eyes glanced forward to Percy, who had flown ahead, clearly irritated with having to always hang back for Nico.

Weird, to see fish boy seeming so at ease up in the sky. If he was in a plane, they would be shot full of lightning by now. But Percy, he looked as comfortable up here on that animal as he did in the Camp lake.  As Cecilia pulled forward, he could see Percy’s face. His eyes were closed, enjoying the feeling of the warm wind against his face as they glided over countryside, dark hair whipping about, the breeze rushing through his clothes. Nico knew he didn’t look even half as majestic. He probably still looked like he was going to hurl, and he doubted his hair was as dramatic in the wind. Blowing strands out of his face, he pressed his thighs into Cecilia, urging her forward.

Percy, out of the corner of his eye, noticed Nico coming up on his flank and he pulled back on  his horse’s hair gently, serving as her temporary reins until they were flying side by side. “How much longer?” Nico called over the wind.  

“We should be reaching camp in a little bit,” Percy called back. “We should be able to get there before the campfire.”  Oh great. Nico couldn’t _wait_  to sit around singing songs with a bunch of campers. Percy caught his expression and he gave a laugh. “Don’t worry. Chiron won’t care if you just go back to your cabin. I cleaned it before going to find you. It was all dusty and-”

“You went in my room?”

“Yeah. Issue?”

“Yeah. Don’t go in my room.”

“What, got secret love letters?”

Percy’s grin was infectious, and Nico couldn’t help the way that the corner of his lip turned upwards into a smirk. “No, just a couple diabolical plans stored away. You know, being a son of Hades and all.”

“Yeah? We might have to review those later. Being the hero all the time can get dull.”

“Too bad you can’t help yourself.”

He heard Percy’s chuckle over the wind as the elder rubbed the back of his neck. “Consider it an occupational hazard.”

“Yeah, whatever, just make sure you don’t drag me down with you.” Grumbling, he settled back and rubbed his eyes tiredly.  Well. At least their flight was relatively peaceful-

His thoughts were interrupted by a crack of lightning ahead. Nico nearly jumped right off the horse, and he shouted as Cecilia reared up in midair, forcing him to latch his fingers around her mane, which she did not appreciate as she gave a sound of pain and irritation.

From ahead, a dark stormcloud was gathering, lightning flashing ahead. It almost looked like smoke, the clouds were so thick. It practically materialized ahead of them.  The electricity looked like sparking snakes within the tempest, and the pegasi whinnied anxiously.

Was a minor god in charge of this? He remembered most of them served Kronos but Zeus may have sent one to defend the camp...but studying Percy’s face, he could see the way the boy’s brows furrowed, eyes narrowed.

“Steady,” Percy soothed his anxious pegasus, gazing ahead inquisitively.

“We should go around,” Nico advised. He didn’t like the look of that storm.

Percy was already shaking his head. “Can’t. This storm is right over camp. It’s just down there.” He pointed down to where the tempest was thickest and Nico groaned, rolling his eyes. Typical.  “Just stay close,” and with that, Percy had his pegasi shooting downwards in a dive, palomino wings slicing through the clouds.

Cecilia followed right behind. Cold wind blasted Nico’s face as the two creatures shot through the storm. The wind buffeted the pegasus’ wings, making her flight wobble and waver as they wove their way through the clouds.

He could barely see Percy ahead and he felt Cecilia growing more panicked by the second. Giving her a soothing stroke down her neck, he felt electricity tingle along the back of his neck and he swiveled his head around.

For a moment, he saw figures in the storm. Stormy silhouettes seeming to lunge through the clouds. They almost looked like wolves, their bodies composed completely of electricity before fading into the gale.  Damn it. There was something in here.

He went to press his thighs into Cecilia’s flank when suddenly there was a crack of electricity and a flurry of light as one of the creatures shot by. The wolf barely grazed Nico’s shoulder, but as soon as its body touched his, he felt the agonizing burn of lightning across his skin and he shouted, nearly falling off the pegasi as he reached around to grip his wound. It burned right through his shirt and he pulled back on Cecilia’s hair, stopping her.  

Cecilia’s wings snapped out, slowing her down just in time to dodge another wolf that was flying directly towards them.  Storm spirits. A pack of them were tailing them through the clouds, leaping from one to the next as they followed the two pegasi. “Percy!” he shouted. He couldn’t see him anywhere.

He was already reaching down to grab his knife as one of the wolves burst from a cloud, lunging forward.  Flipping the blade of his knife upwards, it extended into his blade and he thrusted the blade forward, hearing a screech as the sword sank into the stormy skin of the spirit.  It squirmed on his blade before prying itself off, giving a howl that sounded eerily like thunder.

Another spirit grazed across his back. Nico could practically feel the burns on his back shredding across his skin and he doubled over, swiping backwards blindly through the rain that was bombarding his back like small shards of glass.  

“Nico!” Percy appeared, Riptide in hand.  He swooped in on his pegasus, navigating through the storm like it was second nature, seeming to curve on the wind with his horse.  He arched his blade up, slashing it across the flank of the spirit and it dissolved into ash, immediately blown away by the wind. “Are you okay?”

Nico sent him a death glare.  

Another thundering howl echoed through the storm as more spirits began to materialize, riding the lightning. The pegasus were practically at a standstill, the storm too fierce to fly in any particular direction. That left them sitting ducks. A pack of three wolves came from the right, and Nico did his best to turn Cecilia around, slashing his blade. It cut through the ‘fur’ of one of the wolves and twisted the blade around in an arch, lodging it in the wolf’s neck, and it fell from the sky. Another wolf moved in, and it snarled, biting down on Nico’s sword.

It was like he stuck a fork into a wall socket. His arm immediately turned numb as bolts of electricity shot down his arm - and released his sword in a shock. “Damn it!” Nico shouted, making a grab for his blade, but it spun out of sight, dropping down through the clouds and disappeared.

Percy meanwhile was taking on two. His pegasus lashed out with its hoof, cracking it against one of the spirit’s jaws, sending it tumbling away through the wind while he rammed Riptide down the throat of another. But with every one they killed, more seemed to emerge from the storm. “There’s too many,” Percy shouted over the wind.  “Dive down! We’re almost there.” He reached over, smacking the haunch of Nico’s horse and it jolted before twisting around and diving downwards. They were going so fast that Nico nearly slipped off, gripping on with all of his might. Beside him, he could see Percy, leaning forward and eyes focused as they shot through the storm.

From behind them, the spirits were gaining on them. There must have been nearly fifty of them, a massive pack of wolves that were coming closer, and closer, teeth gnashing together and sending sparks.  From ahead - they could see something shimmering against the storm. The shield. The clouds were clashing against it and beyond, he could see the green grass of the camp. Almost there-

One of the wolves crashed into Nico’s side. With the rain and the wind, he lost his grip - and was tumbling through the air, slipping from Cecilia’s back. He made a wild grab for her hair, his fingers falling through them in an effort to grasp on and they fell away from his reach.  Rain and wind curved around his body as he fell, picking up speed as he tumbled towards the shield and his mind went numb. _Shit, shit, SHIT._

Light rippled across the shield as he passed through, the rain was gone - but he was now hurtling like a comet towards the camp at a hundred miles an hour.  He could see campers on the ground, their screams erupting as they pointed up at him. Nice, at least he’ll have an audience when he turns into Camp Half-Blood’s largest pancake.  He instinctively moved to cover his face - when he felt an arm loop around his body, drawing him into a warm chest. He glanced over - Percy was behind him. Having leaped from his own pegasus, he grabbed onto the younger as he fell.

Nico found it hard to be relieved. Moron. At least they could die together.  

The ground was shooting towards them and he felt Percy shift, curving his arm upwards and there was a roar from below.  Nico had barely enough time to look as he watched as the entire lake seemed to rise up from the ground, a twirling tower of water shooting forward. Nico was soaked yet again as the water caught them mid fall, only fifty feet from the ground. Slowing their descent, they still cut through the water like a knife through butter and Nico felt Percy twist his weight so that he was beneath the younger as they slammed into the ground.

He heard a groan as Percy’s head and body slammed into the ground, their two heads knocking together from the impact. Both of them hissed in pain, every bone felt broken and every muscle torn as they slowly sat up, rubbing their heads. A stampede of campers were racing over, their panicked and astonished voices like a melting pot of sound as they crowded around.

From above, Nico could see the storm slamming against the shield, and tendrils of energy webbing across its surface as it held the elementals back.  

“Percy!” The sound of hooves cut through the chatter as Chiron split through the crowd, rearing up at the sight of him. “There you are, Annabeth and I, we’ve been looking all over for...” he trailed off as he spotted Nico. “Nico,” he breathed, brows bumping together. “You’re here...but how..?” he looked to Percy expectantly.

Percy stood, brushing his soaking clothes off and ran a hand through his hair, pushing it back with a groan. “I’ll update you later,” he muttered. “For now, I think we need some medical attention.”

 

 

 

So much for being able to go into his cabin.

He was squished between Percy and an Apollo kid as they sat around the campfire, and he was trying very hard to ignore the hundred eyes that were locked on him. The campers weren’t so subtle in their gossiping, hands over their mouths as they whispered back and forth to one another, pointing at Percy and Nico in wonder. Their whispers floated about, hanging in the air, painfully loud in the silence.

_“He’s finally back, where was he..?”_

_“I heard he was at a mortal school....”_

_“Does he even belong here..?”_

_“Well he came with Percy, so...”_

“Don’t mind them,” the Apollo camper muttered. He knew this guy. Will Solace. He helped with the Battle of Manhattan, taking over as the head Counselor after Michael Yew’s sudden disappearance.  “Can you stay still, damn it.”

Nico was shying away from the salve Will was rubbing on his burns. His shirt was off, leaving him feeling terribly exposed in the crowd as Will caressed his wounds carefully. He could only take so much nectar and ambrosia, the rest would need to be treated.  

“So what happened?” One of the camper’s asked Percy, leaning forward.

It seemed to be the question that everyone was expecting, as the flames danced a little higher as they tuned in.  Percy glanced over at Chiron, who had been filled in a little while earlier and the centaur gave a shake of his head.  Percy breathed, putting his hands out towards the flames. “Well,” he said thoughtfully, trying to come up with an excuse. “We’ve had an empty cabin sitting there for so long, it’s only right to find the one person who belongs there.”

Nico scowled over at him. “Don’t make it seem like I’m staying,” he hissed under his breath.

“You’re not staying?” Will asked with a frown, accidentally slipping as he knocked Nico’s broken arm.

The son of hades sucked in a breath, sending Will a dark look who muttered a quiet apology. “Not if I can help it...so how long has that storm been here..?”

“It wasn’t here when I left about a week ago,” Percy chimed in, looking to Chiron.

Chiron, now in his wheelchair, drummed his fingers anxiously along the arms. “It appeared a day after you left,” he said slowly. “We attempted to contact you, to tell you to be careful but we couldn’t get ahold of you. There’s something intercepting our Iris messages....I do hope Lady Iris is not in danger...but either way, those spirits have been lingering just outside waiting for us to leave.”

“Do you think it has to do with-” Nico was cut off as Percy kicked his shins. A couple of the more attentive campers lifted their brows curiously as Percy cleared his throat.

“The storm will clear away soon,” he promised, standing to meet the camper’s eyes.  “So don’t panic-”

“ _Percy Jackson._ ”

Percy visibly flinched, his cheeks rushing with red. “Nevermind. Time to panic.” He went to slip away from the crowd before two brutish Ares campers blocked his way, one of them being Clarisse and she gave a menacing chuckle.  

“Oh no you don’t, Fish Legs,” Clarisse sneered, her mossy brown hair pulled back beneath a red bandana as her boyfriend, Chris gave an amused chuckle.

“Please be merciful.”

“Never.”

From behind, a blonde girl was marching through the crowd who parted like the red sea as she stormed forward, her face red.  Percy gave a breath, glaring at Clarisse once more before turning to smile sheepishly at his girlfriend. “Ah, Annabeth! Hey...”

“Where have you been.” She folded her arms expectantly, her lips flatlined as she gunned Percy down with her grey gaze. From around, camper’s were starting to chuckle at the spectacle and Percy’s cheeks flared with red again as he anxiously ran his fingers through his hair.

“Can’t we discuss this somewhere-”

“No.”

“Please?”

“I’ve been wondering where you were for a week. A _week,_ Percy! Last time you disappeared a volcano blew up and I thought...” she clicked her tongue with irritation. “Nevermind that. Where did you go? What were you doing? Do you have any idea what’s happened here while you were gone?”

“I went to Washington.”

 _“Washington?_ What were you doing in Washington.”

“Well....look behind you.”

Annabeth narrowed her eyes, as though sure Percy would run for the hills the moment she turned her back on him but she complied, turning around - and immediately met eyes with Nico, sitting only a few meters away. Her jaw dropped, and she looked to Percy who nodded towards the younger before turning her gaze back to nico. “Nico,” she said in a rush, striding forward and kneeling down to him. “Gods, you’re all banged up. Did the spirits get you while you were arriving?”

“Yeah,” Nico muttered. He flinched as Annabeth took his arm, but found her touch to be surprisingly gentle as she took his shoulder to examine it. “There must have been fifty of them up there.”

“That’s more than last time we checked,” Annabeth murmured. “Chiron, we’ll need to set up some more defenses.”  

Percy, taking advantage of her distraction, took the opportunity to chime in. “They almost killed us. They’ve grown aggressive, more so than the ones we encountered earlier this month. They seem to be changing shapes more frequently too, wolves this time.”

“That means they’ve grown more chaotic,” Annabeth mindlessly twirled one of the blonde strands that hung in her face.  “Normally outside of Tartarus, they can only take on the shape of a horse, a human or formless, how are they...” she trailed off and scowled, looking over to Percy. “You’re not off the hook either, Seaweed Brain.”

Percy flopped down on a log in a pout as amused laughter rose up among the campers. The flames were picking up in height at the excitement, the flames burning a soft amber orange.

“All right, all right,” Chiron soothed, standing as he waved his hand, drawing the camper’s attention. “Tonight’s been very exciting, but it’s time to sleep. Your activities director has something new in mind for tomorrow, and you all need to be well rested.”

“Oh yeah,” Nico said. “I heard there’s a new activities director. Who are they?” Amused chatter rose up among the campers as they laughed quietly. Nico glowered at them, pulling his arm away from Will as he continued to fuss. “What?”

All eyes turned to Percy as he stood, the flames seeming to ripple against his verdant eyes as he looked down on Nico, white teeth flashing in a smile as he poked his thumb against his chest. “You’re looking at him.”

Nico was quiet. He looked to the other campers as if waiting for the punchline before he snorted. “Are you kidding? You could barely lead a picnic, let alone a camp.”

“Hey, I’ll have you know I was appointed to this position,” Percy defended. “And I’ve been doing...pretty good, right guys?” Questionable voices rippled out over the campers. “See? I’m doing great.”

“Pretty sure I just heard one of them say you set the Hermes cabin on fire.”

“That was so not my fault.”

“Percy has been doing just fine,” Chiron spoke up, rolling forward to gather attention. “He has more than enough experience in the mortal world, and a great number of accomplishments under his belt.” _Right. As if I’d forgotten how amazing Percy Jackson is._ “It seemed only right that he took the place as activities director in my stead.”

“Right.”

“You sound doubtful, di Angelo,” Percy was standing up now, striding over with his thumbs hooked in his pocket.

Nico narrowed his eyes. Despite Will’s chastising scold, he stood, hands shoved into his jacket as he stood - he and Percy were nearly a couple inches apart. The campers seemed to be holding their breath as Nico looked Percy up and down. “You could say that,” said coolly. “I’m just not sure I’d be comfortable with someone like you leading me.”

Ooooo’s emerged from the spectators. The flames burned red now as they lifted higher into the sky.

“Yeah? You think you could do better, Bone Boy?”

“Nah. Sucking up to others is your thing. I don’t need someone breathing down my neck to make sure I succeed.”

Competition flared in Percy’s eyes like a match. He clicked his tongue and a camper rushed forward, throwing something to Percy. He snatched it out of the air, flipping the pocket knife between his fingers before shoving it into Nico’s chest. “All right then, Neeks,” he exhaled. Nico could feel his breath against his face. “If you’re that capable, how about we go a few rounds tomorrow. You and me. Let’s see how much you’ve learned.”

The blade of Nico’s knife was flicking upwards before Percy could blink, and he stumbled backwards as the sword materialized in the younger boy’s hand. Nico gave it a few twirls, the stygian iron blade rippling with malicious might in the light of the flames before Nico turned his dark gaze upwards, meeting Percy’s eyes, the ghost of a smirk upon his lips. “You’re on.”


	5. Demigod Duel

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Updates will be more regular, starting next friday with the next post.   
> Also! If anyone is looking for more good PJO stories (novel length) I recommend https://archiveofourown.org/works/10793172/chapters/23940162 this one. Recently started it, very good.

There was pointing and whispering practically everywhere he went. From the moment he rolled out of the big, empty Hades cabin and stepped out onto the camp grounds, it seemed like every eye was on him. The girls blushed and whispered behind their hands, as though that helped make them look conspicuous. The guys eyed him with challenge and interest as they leaned against the Big House walls.  Nico scowled, shrugging into his jacket as he made his way towards the mess hall, where the scent of eggs was wafting through the wind, intermingled with the scent of fresh springtime flowers and a new patch of poppies growing in the fields beyond. Now with Dionysus’ absence, it seems they’ve taken to growing more than just strawberries.

That was okay. Nico remembered growing rather sick of strawberries last time he stayed here. It felt like they’d been served with every mea- damn. He frowned down at the food displayed proudly. Eggs, bacon, yogurt and - strawberries. Typical. Scoffing, he dragged some food onto his plate and glanced around.

The mess hall looked different than it did before.

Before, the Hermes cabin was bursting to the seams, until the lower rank kids sat with their butts hanging off the benches. Now, there were ten, maybe eleven kids there, each with the same elf like features. Now, all those unclaimed kids were sitting at their own tables. Hypnos, Iris, Hecate. Tables that were all relatively empty, at that. But none were nearly as empty as the table pressed between Dionysus and Iris. The Hades table.

Yup. Completely barren. But he didn’t mind.

Making his way over, he caught sight of Percy, hanging out over by the Athena cabin. He was wedged between her and one of her brothers, an arm around her neck as they laughed over what the hell ever, burying his nose into her neck playfully while she pushed him away to enjoy her food. For a moment, their eyes met. He gave Nico a wave and a smile.

Nico pretended he didn’t see, and sat down at his table.  

He picked at his food, rolling a strawberry around with his fork as he listened. There was, of course, whispers filtering about. It was a chaotic melting pot of voices, so picking out individual words was difficult in the sea of gossip that floated about.

Damn campers, unable to mind their own business.  

He’d barely lifted one of the fruits to his lips when a shadow hung overhead and Nico breathed, glancing over with a frown. “What?” he asked moodily at Percy who leaned over, and the elder grinned, leaning back.

“You were just looking more broody than normal. You have a cloud hanging around you.”

For a moment, Nico was sure that was just an expression - until he looked down, and saw literal shadow beginning to pool at his feet. He took a breath, releasing his emotions. “Just don’t get why everyone feels the need to point and whisper. Is it really that significant that I came back?”

“Well...you and I kind of did make a scene yesterday.”

Nico snorted. “That was supposed to be a _private_ affair,” he said pointedly, scowling at Percy who widened his sea green eyes, lifting his hands defensively.

“Hey, I didn’t tell anyone. _You_ did, remember? You announced it in front of the entire camp.”

“So we should be expecting an audience for our duel then?”

“Of course.”

Fantastic. He’d nearly forgotten about their duel. The hell was he thinking? Percy’s always been a better swordsman than him, and he’s been training as a camp director for the last five years while Nico’s been somewhat slacking. Sure, there was always the random monster that found him but he’d been missing out on training- “Getting cold feet?”

Nico jumped and looked over with a frown. “No way. I’m going to embarrass you in front of all your friends, Jackson.”

Percy took the taunt with a sporting grin. “You should come sit at the Athena cabin,” he said, nodding backwards. “Chiron won’t mind this one time, especially since you only just came back.”

“I’m good here.”

“Come on, I insist.”

Before Nico could object, Percy’s fingers threaded with his, pulling him to his feet as he dragged the son of Hades over to the Athena table. Annabeth looked up, immediately meeting Nico’s eyes and she smiled, scooting over so that they could make room for Nico, who ended up being squeezed between them both. A couple of the Athena campers migrated to the other side, giving him a bit more shoulder room, and he finally set to eating his meal.  

“How long do you plan on staying?” Annabeth asked, gliding her eggs mindlessly through her ketchup and Nico gave a shrug.

“Dunno. I was sort of kidnapped after Percy blew up my school.” He smirked as he heard Annabeth tearing Percy a new one, whacking him over the head.

_“You blew up his school?”_

“Kampe was there! And it’s not like it was in flames, technically she did most of the damage, but then she got hit by a bus and-”

“He interrupted my exams.”

That solidified Percy’s fate as Annabeth leaned over Nico to scold the son of Poseidon, who was now shrinking down into his seat from his girlfriend’s wrath. Nico victoriously ate his strawberries.  

Finally, Annabeth exhaled, pushing back her curly blonde hair as she leaned back. “But the fact that Kampe was there is really bad...she’s a powerful monster, and she’s after Nico, too...do you know why, Percy?”

Percy shook his head. “No. All I know was what I saw in the dream I told you and Chiron about. Tartarus, he believes that me and Nico might hinder whatever plans he has. He probably didn’t expect Nico to escape that school alive.” He grinned, nudging Nico in the ribs. “Then I came to the rescue.”

Nico grunted, shooting him daggers. “Oh yeah, my knight in shining armour.”

“But the question is, what these plans are,” Annabeth said swiftly before they could go at each other’s throats. “And you two....” she leaned over to flick Percy. “Why do you keep having to get wrapped up in Great Prophecies.”

“Trust me, I ask myself the same thing every day.”

“Ugh, either way,” she murmured, rubbing her face. “We need to keep you two safe, until we can figure out what’s going on. Chiron’s already sent out surveillance teams out to investigate the movement of some infamous monsters, see if they’re aligned yet.

Nico’s shoulders sank. “So, I guess I won’t be able to get out of here for a while then.”

Annabeth’s expression took on one that looked like pity. “Sorry, Nico.  But for your own safety, it’s best if you stay here for a while.”

“Right.” Nico stood. “Well, I just lost my appetite.”

He got three steps towards the trashcan before the voice of an Athena camper stopped him in the tracks. “Hey! If you’re not going to eat the rest of that, you should give that food to your father.”

Nico halted midstep.

His father. He left camp before he discovered who his father is. He’s never given a single crumb to Hades. But that’s fine.

He’s survived entirely alone. He owed his father nothing.

He scraped the remains of his plate into the trash, and trudged off towards the arena.  Fortunately, it was relatively empty. All of the campers were still eating their meals, which left this place abandoned for the time being. Good. He didn’t want a hundred people ogling him while he trained.  

He pulled his pocket knife, snapping the blade up and it extended in his hands.  

He rounded on the closest dummy, a stupid looking sack stuffed with straw with a crude smiley face drawn on it. It’s already taken a few hits, arrows sticking out of its head and grain and straw spilled out of its torso like guts.  

He twirled his sword expertly in his hand before charging. He swept his blade upwards, the stygian iron slashing like a knife across butter through the fabric, more of its innards spilling out. He rotated, slicing backwards across his blindside and another impact rippled through his fingers.

“You won’t learn much, practicing on an opponent that doesn’t fight back.”

Nico stumbled to a stop. Chiron wheeled out from underneath the shade of a blossoming willow tree. He must have been reading, the book was facedown in his lap. Nico tried to decipher what it was, but the letters swirled and he shook his head before a migraine took root.  “I need to practice before my duel.”

“Ah, yes, the talk of the town,” Chiron’s warm brown eyes glittered as he rolled his way up until he rested his hands on the wooden railing of the arena. “You two made quite a spectacle of yourselves.”

“Yeah, I noticed.”

“I will likely make for better practice than the dummy, if you wish.”

“No thanks. I’d feel bad for beating someone in a wheelchair.”

Chiron’s brow arched. “Careful. Were I in my true form, you’d find me to be a much more difficult adversary than Percy.”

“At least I’d be ready to kick his ass, then.”

“You certainly have a grudge against him.”

“Pretty sure you making him the Activities Director has inflated his ego.”

Chiron gave a soft chuckle. “He’s eager about his new position. Percy’s always had a bad habit of taking it upon himself to protect those he cares about, and with the authority I have given him, he has free rein to do so.” He paused. “It’s the same reason as to why he traveled all the way to Washington, for you. He cares about you.”

_Like hell he does._

Nico’s cheeks reddened. “Don’t meddle in my affairs, old man.” He turned to strike the dummy, before Chiron’s voice sounded behind him.

“I’m sorry he took you away, Nico.” His sword stilled an inch away from it's straw neck. “I don’t know what kind of life you’d formed at that school. But it wasn’t fair for him to take it from you. And if you wish, when you are no longer in danger, you will be free to return. This camp is not meant to bind you. Merely to offer...opportunity, and family when you need it.”

A breathy chuckle rolled from between Nico’s lips as he let his sword tip drop down to the dirt. “Family.” Nico muttered. He turned to face Chiron. “C’mon, Chiron. You really believe that?”

Chiron sighed. He pushed his wheels forward, turning to roll in through the entrance until he was right beside Nico. For a moment they were quiet, as they looked out over the camp. Nico hated to admit it, but it was pretty. Willow trees with their white blossoms detached and blew out over fields of flowers and fruits. Satyrs lounged in the grass with dryads, and campers were taking the morning to relax. Even the storm that rumbled overhead last night seemed to dissipate a bit, allowing for rays of sunlight to lap at the lake’s crystal blue surface.

“I’ve seen a lot of bitter, miserable and unhappy campers turn away from the prospect of family, Nico,” Chiron said finally.  Nico detected a hint of grief in the old centaur’s voice. He looked over. Chiron’s mousy brown hair was pulled back, and his expression was weary. “Far too many, who believed family was a curse, and a lie. But in those moments they pushed it away, they were overwhelmed by whatever demons had taken hold of their mind. Be it guilt, fear, jealousy or hate. In times like these, our family is all we have to pull us back, Nico.”

“You don’t get it, Chiron,” Nico murmured. “I don’t...have a family here. I betrayed Percy to my father, who ended up turning his back on me. I ran away from this place...one moment of redemption at the end of a war isn’t enough.”

Chiron was quiet for a moment, before he placed a warm hand on Nico’s shoulder, directing his gaze over. And the boy’s heart jumped in his chest, as Percy and Annabeth came over the hill, waving at him. “I wouldn’t be so sure,” Chiron murmured quietly in his ear, before pushing away. “Good luck with your duel, Nico! I’ll be sure to watch.”

Chiron and Percy exchanged nods as he vaulted over the wooden railing, jogging over towards Nico with a grin. “Neeks,” Percy said breathlessly. “I was looking all over for you, didn’t expect you’d be here already.”

“One step ahead of you, I guess. Stay punctual, Jackson.”

“God, don’t lecture me, you sound like Dionysus.”

“No, that would be Johnson then.”

Percy shoved Nico lightly, before pulling his ballpoint pen. Around them, the campers were beginning to gather, most of them calling out, ‘go Percy!’ as they swarmed. Some were sitting in the stone benches, others were up on the wooden railing. Nico could see gold drachmas flashing in the light and he scowled. Seriously? Taking bets?

“Ready to eat your words, di Angelo?” Percy challenged, Riptide extending before him.

Nico twirled his blade, the stygian iron seeming to glow with dark energy as tendrils of shadow lapped up the edge of his sword. The spectacle summoned ‘oohs’ and ‘ahhs’ from the crowd.

“Sure, if you’re so eager to have your butt handed to you,” Nico hissed, the edge of his lip twisting up into a smirk. He’s been so looking forward to this.

“This is a traditional dual,” Chiron announced, the wheelchair having melted away, and the centaur stood, looking out over them expectantly. “Which means no maiming, and no killing. The duel will end when one opponent has been rendered prone. You will begin on the mark of ten.”

Annabeth, still standing at Percy’s side, gave him a quick kiss of good luck on the check, and mouthed ‘good luck’ to Nico before sinking back with the rest.

Nico curled his fingers around the hilt of his blade.

“Now!”

Nico and Percy’s feet were immediately moving automatically beneath them. Nico’s sword was poised beside his head, the blade forward like an arrow as he slowly rotated around Percy, who had his sword brandished before him. Their footwork was masterful as their boots twisted in the dirt as they repositioned themselves.  

Nico, growing impatient, was the first one to lunge. Charging forward, Percy’s blade flashed as he twisted it upwards, deflecting the attack that rattled Nico’s fingers, and the younger boy stumbled back a few steps, having to side step as Riptide came arching down, narrowly missing his shoulder. Cheers flooded through the arena as more and more campers gathered.

The sound of steel on steel echoed throughout the arena as dust and dirt was kicked up by their boots twisting into the arena ground as they danced around one another. And damn, was Percy fast. Sweat dripped down the demigod’s face as Nico grated his teeth. He was struggling to keep up as Percy expertly wielded his sword like it was an extension of his body.

Nico wasn’t a slacker when it came to swordplay. He was good. But Percy...he’d heard rumors about how he’s outfought even gods.  The crowd was practically invisible to him as he danced backwards, avoiding a deadly sweep of Percy’s celestial bronze sword, his feet stumbling over themselves.

Like a predator after its prey, Percy picked out the momentary instability in an instant, and he was launching forward. A jump to the side. A slash upwards. Nico stumbled back, his face stinging from a gash that was running down the side of his face, and could feel the blood in his eye.

Percy looked concerned. But that concern lasted only for a moment before Nico regained his footing, charging at him again with another series of attacks.

“Well, Neeks?” Percy panted with a grin. There was a ring of connecting blades as Nico lifted his sword to deflect one of Percy’s blows, and Percy’s sword ground against his own, their faces merely inches apart. “Getting tired?”

“Hardly,” Nico growled, kicking out. His boot connected with Percy’s gut who heaved, doubling over and stepped back a few paces. When he looked up, Nico was racing towards him, twirling his sword in a sweeping arch as it launched towards Percy, scraping up against his arm and Percy hissed, stumbling backwards as blood soaked through the sleeve of his camp shirt.

The cocky smirk had been wiped from his features. It was replaced instead with narrowed brows and a focused gaze. “All right,” he muttered lowly. “If that’s how it’s going to be.”

If Percy had been fast before, he was like the wind now. Springing forward, his blade was a blur as he began to push back on Nico who was staggering backwards, grating his teeth as he attempted to fend off the flurry of blows. _Cling. Cling. Cling. Cling._ Nico could hear nothing except the blood rushing in his ears and the sound of Percy’s sword smashing against his as he was pushed back, until he felt his spine connect with the edge of the ring.  

Nico’s eyes widened as the blunt end of Percy’s sword came streaking towards his head, and he ducked down low, the sword instead smacking some Ares kid in the chest, sending him flying backwards. The rest of his siblings laughed, clearly amused and Nico felt rough hands shoving him forward as he was pushed back towards Percy.

“Just give up already!” The voice sounded from a girl in the crowds, and Nico looked over to see Clarisse and her goons sniggering and watching him with cruel eyes. Eyes. Damn, they were everywhere. Judgemental eyes. Nods of agreement rang up around the campers and Nico grated his teeth, squeezing the hilt of his blade.

He was tired, exhausted....but with a moment to breathe, he could see Percy was, too. He landed a couple good blows on him. The side of Percy’s face was bruised from a smack of the blunt of his blade, and his side was bleeding from a well placed strike. But hell, everyone was watching. What was he even doing, fighting in front of all of-  “Don’t listen to them.”

Nico looked up. Percy’s gaze was focused entirely on him, a strange combination of intensity and tenderness. “This is just you and me. So show me what you can do.”

Nico grinned wearily. “I’ve been holding back,” he grunted. Pressing his heel into the dirt, he launched himself forward.  As much as he hated to admit it - Percy’s soothing helped. The crowd was gone. Their irritating, piercing gazes were gone.

It was just him and Percy.

Their eyes were ever locked as they danced around one another, twisting around with the ringing and clanging of steel following every lightning fast move. Like a cyclone, their attacks seemed to only quicken as the intense atmosphere enclosed around the two, each refusing to submit to the other.  Nico’s hands were wet with blood from a stray strike, grating his teeth as he pressed forward. And for a moment - Percy looked as though he might have fallen. The pressure from the younger swordsmen had him staggering back - until he saw his opportunity. Nico twisted around to attack his flank - leaving one foot precariously unbalanced.

Percy ducked down low, dodging the blow that arched over his head, the edges of Nico’s blade nearly slicing the tips of his ebon hair and his leg was sweeping out, knocking Nico’s feet out from under him. The younger gasped, arms windmilling and Percy leaped forward with a shout, launching his weight against Nico - and the son of Hades’ back slammed into the ground.

The dust cleared. Percy was kneeling over the younger, a leg on either side of him, practically straddling Nico with their noses inches from one another. They were panting. Sweat dripped from their temples. They were so...close. Nico wondered if Percy could feel his heart pounding in his chest.  And when he looked up, his eyes was captured in a sea green gaze.

There was silence, for a brief moment while they recovered, before Nico, his cheeks a bloody red, averted his gaze. “..can you get off me, now.”

Percy shook his head, like he was coming out of a trance.“That was a great fight,” he said breathlessly, swiping the back of his hand across his forehead.

“I lost,” Nico said bluntly, reaching out to grab Percy’s extended hand as the other pulled him to his feet.

“Yeah,” Percy rolled his shoulder. “But look at their faces.”

Nico looked. His breath was released from between his lips in a soft gasp. He saw nothing but looks of surprise and astonishment.  “That last wave of yours,” Percy chuckled, rubbing the back of his neck. “That was...that was really good, Nico. I’m actually pretty banged up.” He looked Nico over. “And so are you. Hey, can we get some ambrosia over here?”

Nico shook his head. “No, I’m fine,” he said quickly.

Annabeth was already coming up, ambrosia squares already prepared. “No you’re not, that wound on your hip could become infected if it’s not closed up,” she lectured, taking Nico’s hand. Her hand was warm as she placed the ambrosia into his palm. “Eat.”

 

 

Chiron announced Percy as the winner, and the crowd dispersed, chattering excitedly about the duel, drachmas being exchanged. Percy, Annabeth and Nico sat on one of the benches, relaxing as they enjoyed the heat of the sun shining down on the backs of their necks. The lovers sat together, with Nico on the edge beside Percy, his head in his hands as he listened to their mindless chatter.

They were being so...annoying. Not the babbling, he was pretty used to Percy’s endless chatter. It was like he enjoyed listening to himself talk. More...their insistence that he’s included and looked after. He didn’t need to sit with them. His wounds didn’t demand divine healing. So why?

“Nico?”

Nico lifted his head up. Annabeth and Percy were watching him, their gazes warm. “What?”

Percy paled. Annabeth elbowed him in the ribs and Percy grimaced, before giving a breath. “I just...I don’t think I properly apologized for what happened. Your school, your exams...I know how shit it is, having that happen to you. And I wanted to tell you that I’ll get you home as quickly as I can, okay?”

“I know you will. We still have our deal, remember.”

It was like a shadow had passed over Percy’s features. His gaze fell to the ground, and he nodded numbly. “Yeah. I remember.”

Annabeth narrowed her eyes. “What deal are you talk-”

 _Crack._ A deafening crack of thunder and lightning split the serene springtime silence, and a burst of light that could have been an explosion from over the tops of the trees in the distance, beyond the camp’s forest.  Percy sprang to his feet, watching as a ripple of energy ran along the camp’s boundaries, before it faded. Dark clouds were gathering overhead, like they were blown in by the wind and the sun was replaced by an overcast of grey and bursts of electricity.

“What the hell was that?” Percy muttered under his breath.

“I’m not sure,” Annabeth responded, slowly standing beside him. “But that explosion was too close to Camp for comfort.”

“Think we should check it out?”

“Naturally, Seaweed Brain.”

Percy nodded.  “Nico, come with us. If things end up looking messy, we could use the extra backup.”

“Shouldn’t we tell Chiron?” Nico asked warily, standing beside the two elder demigods and Annabeth shook her head.

“It could have been just a blast of lightning touching down. But if it’s not, will you be able to shadow travel back here.”

“Yes.”

Annabeth nodded. She drew her dagger, twirling it between her fingers. “Then let’s go check it out.”


	6. Monster Hunt

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yay two chapters. Making up for the lack of an update last week

Ugh. They were like that gross couple that makes you gag. 

Nico trailed behind Annabeth and Percy like a bristling shadow, tailing the two as they trudged through the woods that carried them further and further from camp. They were traveling through the monster infested forest like they were taking a casual stroll. Their fingers were tied, joined practically at the hip and when Annabeth was whacked in the head by a stray branch Percy laughed, pushing it away from her face before planting a kiss on her cheek. 

Nico scowled and looked away.

Shivelight burned through the trees that swayed in the wind. The sound of the campers faded away into the distance, and the silence was pierced every so often by the roar of a stray monster that lingered somewhere in the darkness.  

“We should be getting close to the location of the lightning strike,” Percy announced, looking back to make sure Nico was still with them.  

“What do we do if there are enemies?” Nico asked, stopping for a breath as he planted his foot up on a root sticking up out of the ground.

“If there are enemies, then we’ll deal with them accordingly,” Annabeth said, twisting the hilt of her knife in her palm thoughtfully. “It’s more than likely it was just the storm spirits trying to break through the boundary, they’ve been growing very agitated. We passed Peleus and he was still guarding Thalia’s tree, so I doubt they were able to do any real damage.”

Nico watched her closely as she led the way through the woods. She didn’t believe that was really what was going on. And neither did Nico. It was setting him on edge, and his muscles were tensed, readying an attack as he fingered his pocket knife. 

Percy pushed back some branches. “There,” he said pointing. “That’s where it struck.”

The three entered into a clearing. Beyond where Nico knew the boundary of the shield lay, was a great crater, stopping right before the shield.  The grass around it had been burned to ash, the earth torn up and ruined like a scar. Nearby, the leaves of trees were beginning to burn while nearby dryads were trying to put out the stray flames in a panic. 

“Hold on,” Percy said, stepping forward. He gave a wave of his hand, and water from a nearby trickling stream rose up, dousing the flames instantly. 

“Percy, Nico, cover me while I investigate,” Annabeth commanded as she strode ahead. She passed through the shield, and it rippled at her touch before solidifying again into transparency, and the daughter of Athena knelt down to check out the lightning strike.

Nico and Percy, with both weapons drawn, guarded her while she worked.  The woods were silent. Too silent. The quiet was putting Nico on edge as he tapped his foot impatiently on the ground standing beside Percy. The birds that normally hung about in the branches were keeping their beaks closed...but why? 

Finally, Annabeth exhaled, standing. “Well?” Percy pried. 

Before Annabeth could answer - the sound of ruffling leaves and branches caught their attention. Percy and Nico, blades at the ready, were poised to strike, before several campers emerged from the forest. The scouting party, they must have come to investigate. “What the hell was that?” Panted a Hermes camper, having instantly recognized Annabeth and Percy and Annabeth shook her head.

“It’s fine,” she said with a wave of her hand. “Stray lightning strike. But I’ve searched the area, no sign of monsters or intrusion.”

The shoulders of the Hermes camper visibly relaxed and he waved his hand back to his squad members, who reclined with relief. “That’s good to hear,” he breathed. “Last thing we need right now is an attack.”

“Jack,” Percy said, striding forward. “You have the time?”

Jack glanced down to his watch. “Almost noon.”

Percy cursed. “All right. Thanks, we need to get back to the camp, quick.”

“What’s the rush?” Nico inquired as Percy started towards the camp.

“I teach the Sword Skills class. Then I need to prepare for our Friday Activity.”

“Don’t you normally just play Capture the Flag?”

Percy grinned wickedly. “Not this time. Oh, don’t look so afraid. It’ll be fun.”

Nico arched a brow. He wasn’t sure he liked Percy’s idea of fun. He was the last one remaining in the clearing before following after the group - when he froze, and turned. His brows narrowed as he gazed into the shadows of the woods, eyes scanning the terrain. Something felt....off.

“Nico?” He looked over. Percy and Annabeth had stopped, watching him curiously. “What’s wrong?”

“...nothing.” Shaking his head, Nico turned and caught up with the pair.  

 

 

A slim figure watched the retreating campers from the darkness of the trees, thin rays of light hitting his hidden form. His boots were fitted firmly on the branch, wind against the dark hood pulled over his head and he could feel the feathers of his arrow against his cheek - the tip of the arrow knocked directly on Percy’s head. It would only take just a moment. The slightest twitch of his finger - and it would all be over. But no. He had to wait. His black cloak was draped around him like a shadow as he relaxed the string of his longbow, sharp dark eyes burning into the back of their heads. 

Nico di Angelo was here. This was unexpected. Still, two birds with one stone.  

“Sir,” growls a gruff voice, and the cloaked figure glanced over as a creature emerged from the shade, crawling across the branches. A humanoid body, with the head of a dog, snarling teeth and elongated arms ending in sharp claws. His fur covered body was protected with a bronze breastplate, and a satchel hung at its side. A cynocephalus.  “The eastern boundary is now unoccupied.” 

The boy sneered, drawing his thin fingers along the edge of another arrow. This was just too easy. “They took the bait,” he said, straightening. He drew down his hood and the cynocephalus averted his eyes. “Contact Troy. Tell him to mobilize, and to keep a low profile.” He turned. “The apple. Have you succeeded in retrieving it?”

The cynocephalus fumbled as it went for the satchel, pulling it off and handed it over to the boy. In the shadow of the underbrush, his face lit up as his sharp eyes peered into the open bag, golden light spilling out to illuminate his narrow face. His thin lips twisted into into a grin as he reached inside. “Finally,” he murmured. He drew an item from the bag - what appeared to be an apple, but painted solid gold and glowing with a faded luminance. “Camp Half-Blood will fall today.”

 

 

Excited whispers rose up from the campers that were gathered on the outside of the woods. Dusk was falling upon the camp as the sun fell over the long lake, and stars were beginning to gleam overhead past the twilight, light faint jewels in the sky. 

_ “Do you know what the activity is?” _

_ “No, but I saw Percy and other campers in the woods a lot today...” _

_ “What about that chest, what do you think it is?” _

Nico hung in the back of the crowd, arms folded over his chest as he grazed his dark eyes over the other campers. They were told to wear armour. Nico would have worn his, except....well, the armour he wore during the Battle of Manhattan was a bit small now. So he’d been fitted with a standard suit that felt way too bulky, the leather straps rubbing uncomfortably against his skin.

“You look like you’d rather be anywhere else but here.” He looked over. A girl was leaning against a tree, wearing a black dyed suit of bronze breastplate, smacking gum against her lips as she fixed her green eyes on him.

“Your powers of perception are incredible,” Nico responded listlessly.

She blew black bangs out of her eyes. “I try. So why are you here.”

“Unfortunately, I’m contracted to Jackson’s company.”

“Huh. Then I pity you.” Black hair. Green eyes. Trademark features of a daughter of Hecate. This must be Lou Ellen.  

The voices quieted as Percy exited from the woods. Behind him, two satyrs were carrying a chest, made of ebony wood and adorned with bronze runes. They dropped it with a thud at his feet. “Welcome to our first game of Treasure Hunt!” Percy called out, his voice echoing through the clearing before the forest.  He lifted up a boot, planting it on top of the chest. “Inside this chest is an item of great value. It could be a weapon. Might be an artifact of the gods. Might be a laptop with ten thousand free pirated songs. Either way, only one thing can open this chest.” He drew a slim, golden key from his pocket. “A key. It looks exactly like this. In the woods, there are seven monsters in the woods, with keys around their necks. But only one key will fit the chest. So take a good look at it.” He didn’t give enough time for a good look. He snathced it away with a grin, tucking the key back into his pocket. “You may steal keys from other campers, and the cabin that finds the key is off chores for a week. No killing, no maiming, but beating the hell out of each other is encouraged.  Otherwise - game on.” 

A hephaestus camper launched a firework up into the air. It burst into colours over their heads and Nico looked over to Lou - only to find she was gone. The campers were rushing into the forest, sprinting through the trees, spurred on by the idea of treasure inside that chest. 

Nico grated his teeth, pushing his way into the woods. He could hear the sounds of snapping twigs and branches as the campers began to race off into every direction.  Soon, everything was quiet, and still. Nico grabbed his pocket knife, flipping up the blade and it extended into his sword which he held in both hands, making his way into the woods. What kind of monsters would Jackson be using? A hellhound was a given...he’d use monsters that are fast, but not too dangerous. A shame he wasn’t a son of Aristaeus, then tracking would be a breeze. Which meant he’d have to just stumble upon the monster. 

He listened. He could hear campers in the distance, swords clashing. He couldn’t tell if it was against each other or if they were fighting a monster. “Damn it, this is going to take forever” Nico muttered, trudging forward. 

Ten minutes passed, quite uneventfully. He wondered how many other campers were just mindlessly walking around trying to find a monster, before he froze. His body stiffened, his hand on his blade as he gazed into the black of the brush. The dark cast by the setting sun were beginning to envelope the forest in shadows, and Nico narrowed his eyes, gazing into a patch of gloom.  

There was something there. Something sinister. But he didn’t move. He waited. He focused. Nico closed his eyes, and could feel the shadow of the brush seeming to reach out to lick at his boots. Almost...

The woods exploded as a massive, rhino sized black dog leaped from the trees, eyes burning like hot coals. Acidic saliva dripped from between its fangs but when it pounced on the ground, directly where the boy had just been - Nico was gone. A flurry of shadow twisted around the hellhound before Nico materialized again, giving a snarl as he raked his blade across the flank of the hellhound and it howled in pain before snapping towards Nico, forcing him to jump back as it retreated.  

Around its neck hung a bronze key. There it was.  “Here puppy,” he muttered, stepping forward. Perhaps he could use his rank as a Prince of the Underworld. “Drop it.”

The hellhound wasn’t buying it. It gave a bone chilling howl as it leaped forwards, chomping towards Nico who barely avoided the hellhound’s jaws by sidestepping, using his blade to smack it away.

Laughter sounded in the branch above him. “What the hel-” he was cut off by the hellhound bull rushing him, throwing him back against a tree where his head smacked against the bark and he groaned, sliding down to the grass. He rubbed the back of his neck, looking upwards - to see Lou Ellen hanging out in the tree directly above him, netted tights swinging above his head. “Dogs not your thing?” She chided down at him and Nico groaned, standing. 

“Can’t say I’m much of an animal guy in general. Not like you could do better.”

He regretted the words as soon as she gave a knowing smile, slipping down from the branch. She didn’t even have a weapon drawn. “As you wish,” she purred, striding forward.  She was going to get herself killed. She passed by Nico, walking towards the hellhound like she was approaching a puppy, her hand out. “You won’t attack me, will you boy,” she purred and Nico’s jaw dropped.

What the hell was she thinking.

Then...he remembered something.  

Poseidon was the one who created horses.  And the goddess that created dogs.... The hellhound gave an affectionate whine, like it was greeting an old master as it went down onto its haunches, pressing its massive, black head affectionately against Lou’s side. She gave it a scratch behind the ears as she calmly unlatched the key from around its neck.  “There we go,” she said, reaching to tie it around her own. 

“I found the dog first,” Nico growled, extending his blade as she turned to regard him. 

The corner of her lips curved into a smile and she pointed. “Sick ‘em, boy.”

Shit. Nico’s dark eyes dark eyes widened as the hellhound’s features melted from that of a puppy into a monster’s as it snarled, leaping from Lou’s side towards him. Nico rolled to the side, dodging the jaws that snapped where his leg had been and tumbled up onto one knee, twisting around to knock its teeth away with his blade. The impact rattled his arm, throwing him backwards as the hellhound continued to advance. 

Well. Time to dip.  

He ducked down as the hellhounds teeth snapped above his head, and retreated into the woods full speed.  Pushing past branches, he grimaced as one snapped back and slashed across his cheek, and he skidded across the ground as he stopped. And listened. Doesn’t seem like it was coming after him. It was probably guarding Lou on her way back to the chest. 

That’s okay. She made one mistake.

That key was bronze. The one Percy had was gold. Which meant the key was still out there somewhere.  And he might have just spotted his first clue as to where. Dropping down to one knee, he pushed aside some twigs as he narrowed his eye at the massive, lion shaped paw print pressed into the mud. Definitely something big. Could it have a key? Standing, he moved to follow - when he heard a scream in the distance, and he stopped.  Listening, he could hear the sounds of a struggle, not too far away. Not his problem. 

At least, not until he heard the voice that was crying out in pain. Damn it. Annabeth. 

Nico ground his teeth. Keep going and find a monster that could potentially grant him a dangerous and awesome weapon? Or go back to save his crush’s fiancee. 

Nico cursed under his breath, kicking up dirt as he tore his boots into the ground, sprinting in the direction of the cries. Bringing his forearms up in front of him he leaped through a web of branches and and exploded into a clearing - and immediately saw Annabeth. She was down at the bottom of a hill, and had been pushed back against a tree, her arm and face bloody. She was facing off against a creature, and it spit and hissed at her as it circled the demigod.  The beast’s body resembled that of a lion, its head and forelegs like that of an eagle, and its large, black wings dragged across the ground as it approached. Annabeth looked up, her eyes locking on Nico’s. 

“Nico!” She shouted, then raised her shield, deflecting one of the gryphon’s claws as it lashed towards her. She stumbled backwards, tripping and nearly falling. Her ankle was twisted. No wonder she was getting so beaten up. “Stay there!” 

His boots slid across the grass as he skidded down the hill, and the gryphon twisted around giving a screech as he came up on its side, flanking it with Annabeth as he brought his sword up in a sweeping arch, slicing it across the gryphon’s wing.  

A flash of gold caught Nico’s attention and he looked over, his heart leaping in his chest. A golden key was tied around the gryphon’s neck. “Nico!” Annabeth warned. He’d been distracted for only a moment, but the monster took full advantage as it screeched, buffeting him with its wings and he stumbled backwards, a flurry of feathers blocking his view as it charged towards him, lion like claws tearing into the ground as it sped towards him. 

A dagger whirled towards them, striking the gryphon in the eye as Annabeth’s knife fell to the ground and the gryphon screeched, rubbing its paw against its wound that was dripping blood. Nico growled, stepping forward as he plunged his blade upwards, ramming it into the gryphon’s chest and it emitted a shriek, wings flapping as it began to take off. 

“We can’t let it go!” Annabeth cried out, stumbling to her feet. 

Like hell Nico was going to let it go.  He’d been through too much shit to just let the thing fly away. He waited, watching as the gryphon began to rise up past the trees, the shade of twilight casting darkness over its figure. He could feel the cold tendrils of shadow beginning to embrace him, along with the exhaustion of using his abilities. He really shouldn’t be doing this for recreational purposes, but he always had a taste for competition. Nico narrowed his eyes, baring his teeth as he leapt upwards, letting the shadow engulf him. 

His body twisted and warped as he passed through darkness before he was spat out the other side - through a portal of brief shadow above the gryphon as it passed through the shelter of the trees. 

Above the gryphon, Nico fell, twisting his blade in his grasp and drove the sword into the gryphon’s neck. It gave a shriek of agony as the stygian iron punctured its throat, wings wavering - then began to disintegrate.  The gryphon fell away into ash and Nico grinned, reaching out to grasp the golden key in hand - then his face twisted into that of panic as he began to fall. 

He waved his arms like a plucked chicken as the ground plummeted towards him, smashing through a couple trees, branches smacking against his head before he landed with a ‘thunk!’ on the ground, face planted in the grass with his olive fingers wrapped around the necklace.

“Nico!” Annabeth limped over, going to her knees. “Are you okay?”

“Just fine,” Nico moaned into the grass. He hissed as Annabeth wrapped an arm around him, helping him to his feet.  They were both pretty banged up. 

“Somehow, I get the feeling that’s a lie,” Annabeth said, but she let it slide as she sighed, retrieving her pack. “Percy does the same thing. You boys have a thing for not telling anyone about your problems.” Digging around, she found a piece of ambrosia, cracking it in half and offered it to Nico who waved it away. 

“Just a couple scratches. Oh.” He knelt down, grabbing the key. The golden chain had snapped in the fall, so he carefully knotted the necklace and placed it into Annabeth’s hand. She offered him a confused glance. “You found it first. I just wanted to get the thing. I don’t care what’s in the chest.” 

Annabeth smirked, nudging her shoulder against Nico’s. “C’mon,” she said lightly. “You killed it. The key is yours. I’ll watch your back while we make our way to the chest.”

Nico’s cheeks flushed. He was sure Annabeth would have taken any opportunity to prove herself in front of Percy.  “Thanks,” he muttered, rubbing the back of his neck. “But no need.” 

Before Annabeth could question why, Nico grabbed her arm and focused. This was the last time he’d be able to do shadow travel, unless he wanted to pass out. Closing his eyes, he focused on Percy, who he knew was still standing in the same place they left him, by the chest. The forest melted away as tendrils of darkness enveloped them. The feeling was comforting, to Nico. Being cradled in his natural element. 

But when they landed outside the woods, Annabeth’s legs immediately buckled as she struggled to stand, her face a sickly shade of green. “We could have just walked,” she groaned, putting a hand out to catch his shoulder. 

“But that would have taken forever.”

“Well, well. Look who found it.” Nico turned. Percy was kicked back in a folded chair, boots up on the chest as he sent the pair a grin, standing up. His eyes caught the golden key and they lit up. “And you got the right one.” He grabbed a horn at his hip, lifting it to his lips and sounded the call that echoed throughout the forest, summoning the rest of the campers out of the woods, announcing the game as over.  Concern washed over his features as he strode past Nico, holding Annabeth’s shoulders lightly. “You’re hurt,” he muttered, green eyes roaming over her frame. 

Annabeth smiled gently, placing a hand on his as she went up on her toes to kiss his forehead. “I’m fine,” she soothed. “Nico helped me.”

“Oh?” He turned to watch Nico appraisingly, his gaze soft as he smiled at the younger. “Thanks, dude.”

“No problem.”

“Well,” Percy stepped back, an arm around Annabeth to keep her weight off her injured ankle as he nodded towards the chest. He stepped aside, gesturing towards the chest. Nico twisted the key between his fingers as he went down onto his knees. Campers were beginning to emerge from the forest, watching as Nico slid the key into the keyhole, then lifted the lid of the chest. 

Nico arched a brow. “A.....bathrobe,” he muttered, standing as he lifted up the white robe. From the campers came chortles of amusement, and he looked back over his shoulder towards Nico who was watching him with a knowing smile. The son of Poseidon nodded encouragingly, and Nico rolled his eyes, shrugging the thing on. Almost instantly - the bathrobe began to change as he pulled it on. Fabric rippled and dissolved into leather, the apparel turning from white to black and soon a heavy, black trenchcoat hung around his shoulders, the leather reflecting the soft crimson glow of twilight. 

“It can stop swords and monsters,” Percy said proudly as he stepped forward, drawing his fingertips across the leather of Nico’s back as he circled the younger. “It can take the shape of whatever you want.” A warm hand rested on Nico’s shoulder. “You earned it.”

The word ‘thanks’ seemed to be lodged in Nico’s throat. He swallowed the growing lump and turned away, his cheeks flushed. “Yeah.”

Percy smiled, like he found that amusing and looked back towards the other campers. “Why don’t we head back towards Camp? Time for our fire.” 

 

 

The fire that night raged nearly twenty feet high, burning with reds and golds as it curved upwards into the night. Songs and laughter echoed across the campers that were crowded around the flames, faces bright and smiling as they went on about how fun the challenge was. Nico overheard some of their conversations. The monsters included a hellhound, a harpy(not a member of the staff), a basilisk, a flesh eating horse, a giant snake like creature, an automaton from the Hephaestus cabin and of course, the gryphon. 

Campers were crowded around Nico, especially the youngers as they asked him what seemed like a hundred questions. How did he kill the gryphon? Was it hard? How did he save Annabeth? Over their heads, Nico could see the older campers giving him nods and looks of respect, and Nico scowled, trying to sink lower into his seat. 

He felt a tap on his shoulder and glanced over. The warm light of the fire was spilling over Percy’s face as his sea green eyes watched Nico fondly. “Come on,” he muttered quietly. “Let’s get away from the crowd for a second, I want to talk to you.”

This didn’t sound good. But Nico pushed himself up, stepping away from the crowd that moaned at his absence, following Percy away from the flames and towards the woods nearby. “Everyone seems to like you,” Percy finally said, once they were far enough away to not be heard. 

“I know, shocking, right?” 

Percy grinned, turning to lean against a tree. His raven black hair was wet from a recent shower and he rolled his shoulders. “You’d be surprised. When you’re not being a broody asshole, you’re actually pretty likeable.”

“You sound surprised.”

The corner of Percy’s lips twitched upwards into a smile, before his features darkened for a moment. Uh oh. Here it comes. Percy sighed, pushing off from the tree as he stepped towards Nico. Soon, the older was only inches away from him, and Nico swallowed but held Percy’s gaze. “What did you want to talk about.”

“I don’t want you to leave.”

Nico scoffed, averting his eyes with a frown. “We had a deal.”

“I know we did. But, I just...” Percy flinched and sighed, rubbing his face. “...we got off on the wrong foot, before you left.”

“You mean when I betrayed you to my father, almost got you locked up forever and you tried to strangle me?”

“Yeah. That. I want you to feel like you have a home here, Nico. And so does Annabeth.”

“Tsch. Annabeth.” Nico turned away, the edges of his eyes creased as he scowled into the dark. 

“I know you don’t like her a lot,” Percy said slowly, watching Nico with caution, like speaking to a wild animal. “But if you give her a chance, then I think she’d-”

“God. Dense as always, Jackson.” Percy frowned and Nico sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. “It’s not that I don’t like Annabeth. I do. She’s...nice.” He breathed. “She’s one of the only people here who’s even really talked to me.”

“Then what’s your problem with her?”

Nico’s breath was caught in his throat. Heat rose up upon his cheeks as he clenched his fists at his side. Well, this was awkward. But to hell with it, right? He turned towards Percy. Damn, he looked so clueless. His jade eyes were focused entirely on him, brow furrowed like a confused puppy. “Moron,” Nico uttered softly. “Jackson, I-”

The woods rustled in the darkness. Both of the boys froze, eyes locked on the forest, and the darkness that swirled within. Their hands were at their sides. “You feel that?” Percy muttered and Nico gave a nod.

Yeah. He felt it. And it didn’t feel good. 

Their forms were tense, ready to spring - when a figure emerged from the shelter of the trees. His frame was shielded by a black cloak that hissed as it dragged over the grass, stepping towards them with purpose. They weren’t all that intimidating. Short, thin. A bow was over his shoulder. Yet there was a dangerous air to them.“Stop,” Percy warned with a growl, stepping in front of Nico with his sword brandished.

The figure stopped. Nico could see thin lips being pulled into a crooked smile. And a thin, pale hand reached back, pulling down the hood of his cloak.  Shaggy brown hair fell around the boy’s hawk like frame, dark eyes gazing out malevolently, seeming to glow red in the light of the distant fire. And a scar, beginning at the edge of his lip and stretching to his temple.  

He seemed...familiar. He couldn’t quite place it. But Percy stumbled forward, shock written across his features as he gazed at the boy, his jaw dropped. “...Michael?” Percy whispered. 

That was it. That was who he was.  Michael Yew.

Michael’s thin brow rose with amusement. “You remembered,” he mused. “But I suppose it doesn’t matter now.” He reached back, pulling out a....something. It looked like a ball, wrapped in silks. From underneath, it glowed gold. Curious campers were beginning to make their way over as Michael brought his eyes up. There was something cruel and malicious in his gaze as he grasped the silk, ready to throw it off. 

Whatever the hell was under those silks, it couldn’t be good.

“Percy!” Nico snarled. “Don’t look!” He averted his eyes as Michael yanked off the cover. Golden light radiated like a flare from the object, a blast of energy knocking Nico off his feet as he was thrown onto his back. He groaned, pushing himself up. Half of the campers looked like they’d been blinded as they stumbled around, holding their eyes and falling to their knees as their friends tried to pull them up. What the hell was going on? He looked back over towards Michael, to find he was gone. 

“Percy,” Nico groaned, crawling over towards the other, who lay on his side. “Percy, are you okay?” He reached out to grab his shoulder - when a strong hand grabbed his wrist, nearly snapping it in his grasp. Nico tore his hand back, looking up as Percy slowly picked himself to his feet, Riptide in hand turned towards him - webs of black stretching out over his face, and eyes glowing gold.     
  


 


	7. The Apple of Discord

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WARNING: Major character death in this chapter  
> Posted two chapters today to make up for the lack of a chapter last week.

Well shit.

Nico’s eyes widened as he rolled to the side, Riptide digging into the ground beside him. Looking back over his shoulder, his blood turned to ice as he began to hear cries and shrieks of panic and pain. Behind him, he could see campers fighting campers. Eyes burned gold in the light of the fire, that was beginning to spread across the campgrounds, smoke filling the sky. In the distance, along the edges of the trees, he could see monsters beginning to line up along the wood’s edge. How did they even get in here?! Did Michael let them in?

“Jackson!” Nico snarled, raising his blade as Riptide crashed against it, bringing their faces close. “Snap out of it!”

There was something maddening in Percy’s eyes. Like he lost a grip on everything that made him who he was, replaced by primal mania.  He’s totally lost it. Percy swung Riptide downwards and Nico deflected the blow with his blade, staggering upwards. Well, if there was one good thing about this - it meant that Percy wasn’t clear headed enough to fight like a demon anymore.

He could take him on.

“Fine,” muttered Nico, twirling his blade. “Have it your way.” Percy didn’t seem to hear him. He staggered forward with a roar as he swept Riptide across Nico’s chest, trying to catch him and the blade practically ricocheted off Nico’s coat and Nico grimaced. Damn. Guess Percy wasn’t kidding about this thing. It was badass.

The two warriors circled one another, and Nico watched Percy with narrowed eyes. He definitely wasn’t moving with the graceful control he possessed earlier in their duel. His moves were jagged and sharp and unchecked, striking with strength rather than dexterity. He could use that to his advantage.  

He stepped backwards, urging Percy to come at him and Percy took the bait like a champ, charging forward and lunging forward with Riptide, the blade skidding across Nico’s sword as he raised it defensively. Nico flinched as it caught his hip, twisting around to dodge another strike. Every time Percy lunged out, he lost his balance. Good. Now he had to lose that sword, for now at least. Damn thing always returned to the guy’s pocket.

Nico dug his boots into the ground, narrowing his eyes as Percy came at him again. He exhaled, recalling an old lesson from Percy. As the elder came at him, he thrusted his blade forward, catching it against Riptide’ hand guard and gave a sudden twist. The blade was knocked from Percy’s grasp, clattering to the ground.

The son of Poseidon dodged a sword strike from Nico, stooping down to grab the blade when Nico’s knee came up, cracking against Percy’s nose. There was a _snap!_ as it cracked and Percy stumbled backwards, not expecting the punch that slugged him in the jaw, knocking him to the ground out like a light.  

“I’ve been looking forward to that,” Nico muttered with a grin, rubbing his knuckle as he reached down to pocket Riptide.

Screams dragged his attention from Percy as he spun around. Death. Death, fire and monsters. The creatures were beginning to come out of the forest, strange dog like creatures, telkhines, gryphons and hellhounds. They were engaged with the campers that were busy fighting off their own friends, and Nico cringed as he watched a camper of Ares get speared in the back by their brother.  

A cry had his head snapping over.  A younger camper, a daughter of Demeter was on her knees, holding her sides and sobbing in terror as a hellhound approached her, licking its chops as it bounded towards the demigod. Nico sprinted forward, skidding in front of the hellhound and with one, fluid stroke took the creature’s head off its shoulders.  Its head flopped to the ground as the rest of its body dissolved into ash and Nico spun on the girl. “Go!” He shouted. “Run!”

She didn’t need to be asked twice. She picked herself up, running through the crowd of warring campers.  In the distance, he could see Chiron evading campers as he shot down the monsters, doing his very best to stay away from the crazed demigods. He wouldn’t strike them down, even if it meant taking a couple hits for himself as blood began to stain through his shirt.  

The glare of firelight on metal was the one thing that kept Nico from getting his own head detached from his shoulders as he spun around, deflecting the blade as the camper pressed towards him. Wait....no. Not a camper.  His eyes were clear, a deep crimson and he wore a black cloak like Michael before, pressing forward with his blade. And bloody hell, he was good. It was like the chaos and carnage gave the other strength as he battled, his shortsword like an extension of his body.

He brought his blade towards Nico who deflected it, barely, merely inches away from his neck. “Why?” Nico snarled at the other as their swords connected. “Why are you doing this?”

The guy didn’t respond. Black hair framed his face as his brows narrowed further and he bared his teeth, pressing forward as he ducked down low, letting Nico’s blade pass over his head before he swept his shortsword upwards in an arch, slicing it up Nico’s face and Nico cursed, stumbling backwards with blood in his eyes.  

A kick to his chest had him knocked onto his back, the wind practically knocked out of him. Nico coughed, sitting up, raising his blade to deflect the sword that was about to come down on his head - when an arrow hit the ground at their feet. Immediately, a noxious, horrible smell began to spill out form the arrowtip and Nico nearly vomited right there.

The stranger backed up, choking and gagging as he raised an arm to protect his nose - when out of the stink cloud, came Annabeth, and behind her, Will. Annabeth ducked down low, her leg sweeping out underneath his, knocking him off his feet and the guy’s head hit the ground, hard. Nico grabbed his blade, cracking the hilt against his skull and the boy’s vision swam, dizzy before he crumbled, unconscious.

“Nico!” Annabeth breathed, reaching out. She grabbed Nico’s arm, pulling him to his feet. “Thank the gods, you’re all right. Where’s Percy?”

Nico gave a nervous laugh. “He uh, sort of went crazy. But he’s okay, he’s unconscious over on the edge of the-”

“Nico.” Annabeth grabbed his hand. “We have to figure out what’s going on.”

“I already know.”

Her eyes widened. “What? Did you see something?”

Nico tugged her to the side as a telekhine came at them, keeping the daughter of Athena from getting hit.  Using the momentum from pulling her back, Nico pulled her around to his other side where she launched forward, impaling her dagger into the monster’s forehead and it disintegrated.  “Michael Yew,” he panted. “He’s the one who let the monsters in. He has this...object. He took a veil off it, it glowed this golden light and everyone just went crazy.”

Annabeth cursed under her breath. “The Apple of Discord,” she hissed. “An artifact of Eris...Nico, we have to find Michael, and destroy the Apple. He can’t be too far, he’d have to remain in the vicinity to use it against us.”

“Should we split up?”

She shook her head. “No. Cover me.”

Annabeth marched into the fray. Nico had to jog to keep up with her, his sword extended before him as he defended the girl as she began to scan the surroundings. Gods, he had to be careful. His blade was infinitely more dangerous than the standard bronze blade. One hit with his sword, and it would suck pieces of your soul right out of you. Forced into battling with only the broad side of his blade, he twisted it uncomfortably in his grasp as he deflected a spear from a Hermes camper, pushing forward and slamming his knee into the guy’s gut, forcing him to the ground.

“See it?!” He called over his shoulder to Annabeth, his back to hers.

“No,” Annabeth growled. “We have to get higher.” She looked around. “The Big House!”

“And how the hell do you expect to us to get up there.”

“I will.” She sheathed her dagger. “You focus on fighting down here. The ones with the black cloaks, keep them back and don’t kill any campers.”

“Tempting,” Nico muttered, watching her as she began to race towards the Big House.  

Great. Now he just had to stay alive until she got back.  No easy feat, especially considering he was flanked by monsters no less than ten seconds after she left. Two of those dog dudes, the cynocephalus.  They were both holding spears with jagged, blood smeared edges and they lunged forward, narrowly hitting Nico as he twisted out of the way, one of the spears knocking against his coat.  He disposed of them quickly, his black blade crackling with necrotic energy as he stabbed it into one of their chests. He could practically see the life seeping from its eyes as its soul was devoured, being sucked into the blade and he kicked the creature’s body off his sword, watching it dissolve into ash.  

They were being overrun. Bodies were strewn upon the ground, one of them cloaked, and too many of them with orange shirts. Some unconscious, and some he knew, dead.  

“Nico!” An arrow whizzed past his head, connecting with the skull of a telekhine that disintegrated behind him as Will pushed his way through the crowd. “Watch your back!”

“Thanks,” Nico grunted, turning quickly to knock away the sword of another attacker.  A burst of light emitted behind him - a warm light, rather than the blinding burst from the Apple and he knew it was Will. The intruder grunted, covering its eyes with his allowing for Nico to smack the flat side of his blade against the guy’s skull and he dropped like a rock.  

“Nico, I see him!” Annabeth called, running over from the Big House. “He’s by the arena!”

“Who?!” Will questioned as Annabeth and Nico began to march past him, taking off after them.

“Michael Yew.”

Will’s feet skidded to a stop and Nico turned. His face had twisted into that of grief and shock, and Nico felt a pang in his heart. That’s right. Michael used to be the Camp Counselor, before Will. “What?” Will choked out and Nico grunted, stepping forward. He placed a hand on Will’s shoulder.

“He’s the one who did all of this. He has an artifact making everyone go crazy and we have to destroy it.”

Will looked to Annabeth and she nodded in confirmation. “Will you help us, Will?” she asked.

The son of Apollo swallowed, grating his teeth and nodded. “Yeah. Just show me where to shoot.”

“Just follow us,” Annabeth said, taking off into a run. “Cover us!”

Arrow after arrow fired from Will’s bow as the three began to maneuver their way through the conflict. Careful not to injure campers, Nico blocked and batted away attacks that were coming at him and Annabeth, with Will behind him moving with great agility as he ducked and rolled past the attacks as they made their way towards the arena. The flames from the unbridled fire were now stretching out over the campgrounds, the stables was engulfed in flames as panicked pegasi were bursting out of their stalls and taking off into the sky.

And through the flames, Nico saw him. Michael, with that red eyed guy beside him, holding the Apple of Discord. It pulsated with golden light, and the longer he looked at it, the more rattled his mind became. He couldn’t understand how Michael could hold the thing, let alone use it. “Michael!” Will snarled towards the other, his voice echoing out and Michael twisted around, his lips curving into a smile.

“Will!” Michael cried out, as the other stepped in front of him, raising his sword protectively in front of the son of Apollo. “Good to see you. Care to join us?”

Will responded by bringing an arrow back to his cheek, firing it. The arrow snapped forward, shattering into pieces as the boy moved forward, batting the arrow away like a baseball. “Thank you, Troy,” Michael muttered.  

“Nico, flank him with me! Will, keep Troy busy.”

The boys nodded, sprinting towards the enemy. Nico and Annabeth immediately crossed to Michael’s sides, cutting off his escape as Will began to face off with Troy, firing an arrow at the demigod’s feet. As soon as the arrow hit the ground, black sludge burst from its tip, expanding into a sticky gelatin that kept Troy’s feet locked in place and the demigod snarled, beginning to chop away at it.

Meanwhile, Annabeth and Nico were swinging towards Michael who was having no difficulty dodging their attacks. He was so thin, so small that he easily maneuvered between them, curving around their frames, keeping them practically dancing on the ends of their toes as they tried to keep him in their sites, the only thing alerting them to his presence being laughter.  

For a moment, Nico had Michael in his sights, and he growled, bringing his blade up to strike when Michael put out his hand, a burst of blinding light glowing from his palm and Nico cried out, stumbling backwards as spots began to dance over his eyes.

He could hear the sounds of battle. The sound of metal against leather. The clang of connecting swords. The roars of monsters.  And laughter. Nico snarled, lunging out blindly, and felt his blade connect with something and he heard a cry of pain. Twisting around, he slashed again, blinking away the blinding light and as his vision returned, watched as Michael stumbled back, his arm bloody as he grimaced, glowering at Nico. “Nice hit,” he muttered. Teeth showed as his lips curled backwards into a grin. “But the playing field is just about to level out.”

The hell does he mean? Annabeth, her eyes red and her mouth twisted into a snarl reached out, grabbing Michael’s collar as she lifted a dagger. “You will pay for this,” she hissed - before a sword burst through her chest.

She stilled, releasing Michael’s collar who straightened it with a smirk, stepping backwards as the girl fell to her knees, and Percy pulled Riptide from her spine.  Nico didn’t even feel his knees hit the grass, gaping at Percy as the son of Poseidon focused his golden gaze down upon Annabeth. His features were unfaltering.

“Annabeth!” Nico cried out. Percy snapped his head over, and brought Riptide down upon Nico. Nico, up on one knee, raised his sword, deflecting Riptide and grated his teeth, pushing forward and Percy stumbled a few steps back. Nico’s fingers tore across the ground as he crawled towards Annabeth, finger just barely hitting her pulse when Riptide flew towards his face and he gasped, ducking low. “Damn it, stop!” Nico shouted desperately. Annabeth was pale, face down in the grass with blood a puddle around her.  

Behind him, he could see Michael beginning to retreat, Troy at his heel. “No!” Nico snarled, springing to his feet. “You’re not going anywhere.” He charged forward, his blade striking against Troy as the demigod spun, ricocheting his attack. From behind him, he could see Percy coming up on his side and he dodged, Riptide striking at air.

Will reached Annabeth, dropping to his knees as he gathered her into his arms, feeling for a pulse. Good. Now Nico just had to hold them off while he helped her.

She couldn’t be dead.  Percy and Troy were both flanking him, wielding swords that were coming at him with their strikes snake like. Nico was stumbling over himself trying to keep the swords from cutting into him, even with his coat on and he danced backwards, narrowly avoiding one of Troy’s strikes. Meanwhile, Michael stood behind him, the apple in hand...the apple.  

Nico gritted his teeth, flinging himself forward.  Troy’s eyes widened, then focused as he brought his sword up, Nico’s clattering against it and the son of Hades converged on Percy. “Come on, Percy,” he growled, his hand snapping out, grabbing Percy’s collar. “Come at me, you moron.”

Percy’s nostrils flared as he brought his elbow downwards, slamming it into Nico’s stomach and the younger choked, backing up as Percy advanced, Riptide twirling in hand.  Closer. Almost there. Nico raised his sword, knocking away an attack as he stepped backwards. Right....now!

Michael’s laughter was cut off as Nico sidestepped one of Percy’s attacks, and Riptide connected with the Apple of Discord.

A pulse of blinding light and the sound of disembodied wails burst forth from the apple that shattered into thousands of golden fragments, littering the grass.  Nico shielded his eyes, and heard a voice pierce through the blinding light. “No! Damn it, no!”

“Yew, we have to retreat.”

“Like hell you are!” Nico snarled, swinging blindly towards the voices. He felt his blade connect with Troy’s sword, and a fist connected with his throat. Nico choked, falling to his knees. Michael and Troy were gone. He heard them escape, and heard the sound of Yew calling for a full retreat. He heard cries of despair, the sounds of wings as monsters fled. But most of all, he could hear the blood rushing through his head.  

Sight returned moment later, as he blinked away the spots in his eyes. His vision swam as he looked around. Campers on their knees, sobbing.  Demigods licking their wounds as they stood around, faces ashen and cold. He saw Percy, lying on his back a meter away, unconscious.

And he saw Annabeth lying before Will. “Annabeth,” Nico choked out, his throat still recovering from Troy’s attack. He dropped down beside her, putting a hand to her cheek. Cold. “Will,” he said. “We have to-” But as he looked over, his heart turned to ice as he caught Will’s gaze.

The son of Apollo, wiping at his eyes shook his head.  

The sound of hooves had Nico glancing over his shoulder as Chiron approached. The centaur looked ready to speak - before he caught sight of Annabeth, and his expression twisted into that of grief.  

“Annabeth...”

Shit.

Nico twisted around. Percy, his bloody palms pressed into the ground, dragged himself to his feet. His shirt was covered in red as he staggered forward, dropping to his knees before her. “Percy,” Chiron warned, putting a hand on his shoulder and Percy snarled, tearing his arm away.

“Annabeth,” he begged, pulling her into his chest. He looked to Will. _“Help her.”_

“Percy, I-”

“Now, please,” his voice wavered and broke as the son of Poseidon looked down upon Annabeth’s face, pulling her forehead to his as he cradled her, tears splashing upon her cheek. “Please, please...”

Nico had a feeling it wasn’t Will he was begging.  He stood, turning away from Percy as the sound of the sea god’s son’s wails echoed into the carnage.  


	8. Manticore Medical Office

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Picture is homage to Percabeth. Which just died. Along with Annabeth. Rip Annabeth. Time for Percico to begin. Art credit goes to burdge. She's a goddess. http://burdge.tumblr.com

 

Nico had felt a painful ringing in his ears all day.  At this point, he knew exactly what it meant. It was the sensation of death. Another ‘perk’ of being the son of Hades. And it enveloped him like a tomb.

Grief and pain hung over the camp, scarring the very ground they stood upon. No words were spoken, no songs were sung and no fire burned that night, save for the few torches that were flickering in the amphitheater. Every camper was seated silently, heads bowed and eyes forward as seven beautiful shrouds were lain out beneath the stars.. Seven campers were slain in the attack. The youngest being an eight year old from the Apollo cabin, and Will was standing beside his shroud, holding a torch, his eyes rimmed with red and jaw set. Two campers from Aphrodite. One from Demeter. One from Hermes. A girl from Hypnos. Then Annabeth’s.

Nico swallowed the lump in his throat. Her shroud was a gorgeous, silky silver, embroidered with an owl with its wings stretched out, clutching the branch of an olive tree in its talons.  Six people stood on stage, with torches in hand, ready to burn the shrouds of their loved ones...but where was Percy?

He was supposed to be the one to burn Annabeth’s shroud. Uncertain whispers rose up among the campers, wondering where he could possibly be, why he wasn’t here to comfort them, to explain what happened, to act as leader. Nico dug his nails into his jeans. _Just leave him be._

Half a minute more passed and Chiron sighed, stooping down to draw a torch and strode over to Annabeth’s shroud. He turned towards the campers, his face looking like it had aged ten years in the last twenty four hours. “There are no words I can give that can console, or ease the pain away. A horrible tragedy has befallen the camp. We’ve lost brothers, sisters, lovers and friends. We’ve lost family. We live our lives not knowing what the next day will bring. Demigods harbor cruel fates - but we must not let this best us. Lives were lost defending our home, our home which we will continue to defend. To protect ourselves, to protect our friends, and to protect our family. And their deaths will not be in vain. We will guarantee it. We will now allow the family and friends to do the final offers, and send our fallen companions to Elysium.”

Chiron nodded to Will who stepped forward, holding his torch. He began to give his speech, honoring the life and death of his younger brother. Nico didn’t hear it. The amphitheater was falling further behind him as he walked away, practically melting into the shadows cast by the gloom of night.

He strode past the cabins that sat eerily empty and silent. He could still see the burns from the flames upon the new spring grass. The Hermes cabin had practically been reduced to rubble. And every step he took, he could feel his blood burning like acid. This always happened when the Son of Hades passed through a warzone. It made his skin prickle and he gave a deep exhale, making his way towards the water’s edge.

The amphitheater was only a glowing speck in the distance now. The stars that had shone so brightly only just moments before were concealed behind thick, grey, bloated clouds that had drifted into the night sky, accompanied by the deep rumble of thunder.

Rolling waves raked across the sand as Nico picked his way down the beach. He had to be here somewhere....ah.

Nico stopped. Percy stood ahead, his ebony hair blown about by the wind of the coming storm. The waves lapped up against his feet as he watched the sea with his hands shoved into his pocket, eyes ahead and face ashen.  

Nico hesitated. Then, his boots carried him across the beach until he stood by Percy’s side. Neither of them said a word. Thunder resonated above them like a drum, and Nico felt the first splash of rain against his cheek and he frowned, glancing upwards. They must be outside the camp boundary then...but what was Percy doing all the way out here?

“Can you bring her back.”

Nico felt his heart stop as Percy asked the question. His voice was monotonous. Nico glanced over. Percy was rolling something between his fingers mindlessly as he looked out over the water. Nico followed his gaze and sighed, shaking his head. “...it’s not a matter of can, but should.”

The rain began to fall harder. The water that would normally pass right over Percy soaked him to the bone, plastering hair to his head, his clothes clinging to his frame. It was like the storm and sea was responding to his grief, ignoring the son of Poseidon’s natural born resistance as the rain buffeted him without mercy. Nico expected Percy to shout, to get angry, but instead, he closed his eyes like he expected the answer. “I figured.”

“You should be back there....they’re burning her shroud.”

A thin, humorless smile pulled at the edge of Percy’s lips. “There’s no words that can pass between us now that we haven’t already said,” he muttered quietly. He tilted his head towards the sky, soaking up the rain that splashed against his face. Rivulets that ran down from the corner of his eyes were sept into the current of the rain washing down his features. “...how did she die.” Silence followed the question. “Tell me.” Nico cringed. He could hear Percy’s throat tightening. Nico glanced over. Percy was watching him coldly, his brows narrowed. “No one else will.”

“...Michael Yew. He killed her.”

Well. It wasn’t a _total_ lie. But it seemed to satisfy Percy. He gave a deep breath, closing his eyes and lifted something to his lips. A ring. Beautiful, made of twisted celestial bronze with small gemstones of silver embedded into the delicate metallic frame. “All right.” He sounded strangely calm.  “Thanks, Nico. You should get some sleep.”

“What about you?”

“I have my own shit to do.”

“Yeah? Shit like what?” Percy didn’t respond. He felt cold as he brushed past Nico, fists curled at his side as he marched towards the woods. The darkness swallowed up the son of the sea god as he melted into the forest. Nico watched where he disappeared for a long moment before he sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. Damn it.

He was worried for Percy, but he wasn’t going to go after him right now...he needed time. Shrugging further into his coat to protect himself from the rain he trudged back towards camp. The shield wavered as he passed through it, and the storm ceased, allowing for Nico to shake out his hair like a wet dog as he returned to the Amphitheater. All seven shrouds were burning, and soft, grieving wails and sobs resonated through the structure. As lightning cracked overhead, Chiron announced that it was time for bed and the demigods began to migrate towards the cabins, dragging their feet as they pulled themselves towards bed.

Bed. Damn, that sounded good right about now. Nico moved to join them, when he felt a hand on his shoulder. “Nico,” Chiron said softly. “Mind if I have a word?”

Nico nodded, allowing for Chiron to pull him away from the others. When there was a good bit of distance between them and the camp, Chiron turned towards Nico. “Percy. Does he know that..?”

“No,” Nico said immediately. “He doesn’t.”

Chiron dragged his hand tiredly across his face. “The longer he’s kept from the truth, the more heavy its weight will become, Nico.”

“Now’s not the time to tell him.”

“I can’t help but agree. But be sure he is told...eventually.”

“Sure.” Right. Nico wasn’t exactly the heart to heart kind of guy.

Chiron seemed to sag his shoulders in relief. “Thank you. And there’s....one more matter.” Nico’s brow arched. This didn’t sound good. “The Hermes cabin was destroyed during the attack. And the Big House is currently housing injured campers while the children of Apollo tend to them...would you mind temporarily allowing them to stay in your cabin?”

Nico scowled. _You have to be shitting me._ “Isn’t there someplace else they could go? There’s like... _three_ other cabins they could choose from.”

Chiron was already shaking his head. “Zeus and Hera would never allow it, and Artemis’ cabin is reserved for her hunters. Please, Nico.”

Man, how could he say no to an old man who looked like he was on the verge of a mental breakdown. Nico sighed, shouldering his coat and shrugged. “All right, fine. As long as they don’t make a mess.”

“Good. I’ll inform Travis and Connor. Thank you, Nico.”

 

 

Instant. Regret.

Somehow, Nico had found himself on the floor of his own cabin, with a smelly brat in his bed. In fact, there were lots of smelly brats in his room now.  There were almost twenty kids packed into his room, every bunk being used with a couple having been dragged in from Percy’s cabin. Snores and whines broke through the silence every time Nico tried to get some shuteye and he sputtered as a kid’s hand dropped down from a bed and into his face.

Tsch. Zeus, Hera _and_ Artemis were all empty. Typical that the gods would be petty enough to not allow campers within their cabins, even after a tragedy such as this. It seems Hades always managed to get the short end of the stick.  

He scowled, shrugging away and rolled over in his sleeping bag, his head against the cabin floor. That’s right, his pillows had been abducted, too. Giving a breath, he nuzzled his face into his arms. He didn’t sleep for a while. He lay staring at the wall, his brows furrowed.  Percy. Gods, the look on his face, it tore Nico apart thinking about it. He’d felt the moment Annabeth died. Like a vibration that rattled his soul. But what was even more rattling, was Percy. Dropping to his knees, dragging her into his chest. It was heartbreaking.

There was nothing Nico wanted more than to do something for him. But sometimes you just...had to let things like this roll.  Finally, after rolling over countless times, Nico closed his eyes, and drifted to sleep.

Funny, and to think he wanted be able to sleep soundly.

  


 

When he opened his eyes, he was no longer in the cabin. He was deep within the woods, surrounded by monsters. Cyclopses and telekhines and dracaenae. Two hellhounds were fighting over a piece of meat. Then of course, there were the hooded bastards, all seated around a roaring fire with their hands out. He knew he was dreaming. Even standing right out in the open, he was all but invisible to them.

From above, creatures chattered and shrieked in the trees. Oneiroi. Dark, winged spirits of nightmares. With the disfigured faces of humans, the grey skinned, bat winged creatures fluttered about in the trees, two of them getting into a fight as they raked each other with their claws.

A hand shot nimbly out of the dark, snatching one of the oneiroi around the throat. It gave a strangled choke as the pale hand wrapped tighter around its neck, pulling the creature’s ear up to his lips as the hooded figure leaned forward from his comfortable position on the tree. “You’re going to give us away,” he grunted, releasing the oneiroi. It gave a panicked shriek, flapping its wings to back away from Michael as it flew into the forest.

Michael slid down from the tree, hitting the ground nimbly as he shouldered his bow and sighed. “How could we let this happen.” He began to walk a rut into the forest floor as he paced, bristling. Several of his men lifted their heads curiously. Troy was standing by, hands behind his back as he watched Yew with a scowl. “That boy, Nico...he was not supposed to be at Camp. We could have taken it, had he not been there.”

“Strange, that he and Jackson were together,” Troy commented, his crimson eyes following Michael. “Perhaps they know of the prophecy?”

Michael stopped and shook his head. “No. Impossible. We’re the only ones that girl revealed it to, and we have her now.” He arched his head up towards the sky and dragged his nails down his shallow face. “It doesn’t matter,” he growled. “We need to proceed with our plan.”

“What of Jackson and di Angelo?”

Michael waved a hand. “They’re inconsequential. Chaos will swallow them whole, along with the rest.” A groan had Michael snapping his gaze over, narrowing his brow. Troy had stumbled backwards, his hand reaching for the trunk of a tree as his fingers dug into the bark, his other hand plastered across his forehead. “Hm,” Michael murmured with interest. “Seems Kakia’s grasp on you is slipping. You two,” he snapped at two dracaenae. They jumped at his voice. “Take him and bind him until her hold on him returns. For now, we go to New York City. We have an engagement to tend to.”

 

 

A hand clasped over Nico’s mouth and he woke instantly. He reached up and grabbed at it in a panic, ready to tear it off before a warm voice whispered by his ear. “Quiet! We’re leaving.”

What.

“Percy?” Nico hissed, pulling Percy’s fingers away from his lips. “What are you doing in here?”

“What does it look like I’m doing?” Percy asked. He had a backpack slung over his shoulder, and keys dangled from his fingers as he stood quietly, careful not to wake the others. “We’re going after them.”

“Are those the keys to the van?”

“Yeah. Connor and Travis nicked them for me.” He reached out his hand, and Nico let loose an exasperated sigh before grabbing it, allowing for Percy to pull him to his feet. “Outside, come on.”

Softly and silently as mice, Percy and Nico snuck out of the Hades cabin, taking care not to step on anyone as they reached the door. Looking out to make sure there were no harpies about, they crept away from the cabins until they reached the shadow of the forest. Nearby, the golden dragon wrapped around Thalia’s tree lifted his head to regard them lazily before returning back to his slumber. “And where the hell are we going?” Nico hissed, tagging after Percy.

It was clear Percy had gotten no sleep. His cheeks looked like they were sunken in, and purple bags hung under his eyes as he marched towards the vans that were parked near the edge of camp. “New York City.”

“What? Why?”

“I had a dream.”

Nico almost tripped. “Did you see Michael Yew in it? And Troy?” Percy glanced over with a curious look. “I had it, too.”

Percy nodded. “Yeah. I did. And if they’re in New York, that’s where we’re going, too.”

“Okay, well instead of _stealing_ the Camp’s van,” Nico muttered, snatching the keys away from Percy. “How about we just get there my way.”

Percy eyed the keys. “What, you mean like....shadow travel?”

Nico nodded, placing the keys on the hood of the van. “Yeah. It won’t be too difficult, New York isn’t very far away and it’s just us two...” he stumbled over those last three words, spinning around before Percy saw the red that was beginning to colour his cheeks. Man, a field trip with Percy was really not what he was expecting. “...But Percy.” He turned slightly to face him. “What exactly are you expecting from this?”

Percy scowled and averted his eyes. He was quiet, like he was rolling his words about in his head. “Michael Yew attacked the camp,” he finally said, his tone dry. “And from the dream we had, it’s clear he has another plan. We have to stop him.”

What bull.

“Are you sure this isn’t about revenge?” The corner of Percy’s lip twitched and Nico sighed, striding to stand next to him. “I know what it feels like,” he said slowly. “When I lost Bianca...I would have done anything to avenge her death. But I couldn’t. So I took my anger out on you. And that was a mistake. It lost me a lot. Just make sure it doesn’t consume you.” Nico smirked, cracking his neck. “That being said, I don’t mind going in to bust some heads. I have a score to settle, myself.”

Percy sent the boy an appreciative look. “Then let’s go. I have everything we need in here,” he shouldered his bag. “Some cash, drachmas, food, ambrosia. We can buy a hotel room while we’re out there.”

The idea of buying a hotel room with Percy had Nico’s gut twisting for a moment. _Focus on the mission, di Angelo._ Shaking his head, Nico nodded and breathed, closing his eyes.

He’d been to New York only a few times. But he could picture it well enough in his head. He reached out, and when his fingers touched Percy’s warm hand he grabbed on. “Get ready,” he said, and focused. The darkness stretched out from the shadows of the trees, like hands reaching out for them. The gloom pooled at their feet until they sank through.

Then, there was nothing but darkness.  The familiar rush of wind, time and space that buffeted the boys, traveling so fast it felt like their skin was peeling off their bones. Around them echoed whispers, the disembodied voices of the deceased as they were carried along with the shadow travelers, phasing through the tunnel of night like dolphins tailing a ship.

As quickly as they entered, they were spat out and Nico and Percy stumbled out into the middle of the street - and a honk split through the night as a pair of headlights came up on them. “Watch it!” Percy shouted, grabbing Nico’s arm. He wrenched Nico out of the way, just as a taxi driver flew by spewing a series of curses at the pair.  They were standing on the side of a busy street, with overflowing roads ahead of them and above, towering skyscrapers that pierced into the dark clouds that hung above, the city lights drowning out the stars.

Damn, Nico almost forgot how much he hated the city.  It was loud, it was hectic and it was incredibly shallow.  Percy though looked like he was right at home. He regarded the city with a certain fondness, the lights of the night life glinting in his green eyes before they suddenly darkened, like he remembered something unpleasant. “All right,” he said, spinning on his heels. Nico had to jog to keep up. “You landed us in Manhattan. Good. Which means he should be around close...”

“He?”

“Dr. Thorn.” Nico nearly stumbled over his own feet. Percy glanced over. “You should be familiar with him. He was your teacher when we rescued you and your sister from the school.”

“Yeah, I remember him but are you _crazy?_ He almost killed both of us.”

“Yeah, and we were both just a couple of kids back then. Trust me, he won’t be a threat.”

Nico wasn’t entirely convinced. But he followed Percy regardless as the older demigod expertly navigated his way through the city, muttering directions and street names under his breath. He cursed, squinting up at the road signs that hung in the wind, trying to decipher what they said. Just a bunch of jumbled letters. “All right,” he finally said, coming to a stop. “Here we are.” He’d stopped in front of a white building and Nico jogged beside him, squinting up at the sign.

The letters swam and he felt a migraine beginning to throb against his temples. “Manticore...Manticore Medical Office?”

Percy nodded. “Yup. Subtle, right?”

“Is he even in there?” Nico crept up towards the windows, peering in and using his fingers to block away the light of the city behind him. Peering through the shutters, he saw a normal looking empty office, the lights turned off and posters of human anatomy and the 5 basic food groups up on the walls.

“Yeah, he’s definitely in there. Cover me.”

Nico arched a brow but did as he asked, standing in front of Percy to block him from view. Not like anyone would notice. Curses and music blasted from the windows of the passing cars, and every figure that passed had their nose pressed into their phone. They could have been naked and no one would have spared them a glance. He heard the crack of snapping wood as Percy used Riptide like a crowbar, breaking the door open. “All right, we’re in.”

The two slipped inside, shutting the door quietly behind them.

It would be a lie if Nico said he wasn’t unsettled. Dr. Thorn was one of those monsters that had returned to him multiple times in nightmares. The first true monster he’d ever faced. The creature that had infiltrated his school with Bianca, with the intention of taking them both to Atlas where they would have been killed. He was too weak back then to face Thorn.

But not anymore.

He followed Percy as the two edged their way silently into the facility. It seemed like just some normal mortal medical office. There was a jar of suckers up on the counter, in front of a painting of some lake in Montana. The walls were plastered with posters with the human body and how to give someone the heimlich.  No signs of anyone evil living here.

Nico stopped and put out his arm. Percy froze, looking over to Nico. “What is it?”

“Noise from downstairs.” He looked around until he saw the white door labeled ‘Storage Basement’ leading downwards and motioned. “There.”

“Good eye,”  Percy praised. He tried the door to find it unlocked, and it swung open quietly. Lifting a finger to his lips, Percy drew Riptide, the blade glowing faintly in the dark and Nico summoned his stygian iron sword to his side. Armed and ready, the two began to descend the steps.  

From below, he could hear the sound of muttering. Low and husky, like the voice of some villain in a kid’s show and the sound of clinking metal. The stairs curved once, and Nico pressed his back to the wall and poked his head around.

Light spilled out of the room, faint and flickering as it hung over a long table, where a humanoid figure lay, an arm was hanging over the side. It looked like a female, gods was he killing her?! Above it, armed with a scalpel and another heinous looking surgical knife. The doctor, his face covered by a white mask, cut into the body’s abdomen and Nico felt his stomach roll as he pulled his head back. _He’s cutting someone up in there,_ he mouthed and Percy’s eyes widened in shock.

 _You grab her,_ Percy mouthed. _I’ll go after Thorn._

“I can smell you.”

The two froze. They heard the sound of the tools being dropped down on to a table, and boots knocking against the tile floor. “Oh yes, I can most certainly smell you. Not mortal...demigod. Are you here for an appointment?”

“Can’t say we are,” Percy responded, his back still pressed against the wall.

There was a pause. Then the figure was moving again. But rather than footsteps, Nico could hear the distinct sound of claws clicking against the floor. “If you’re not here for an appointment,” came the voice again, this time low and gravelly. “Then I’m afraid I must not allow you to interrupt my work.”

 _“Now!”_ Percy snarled. The two spun around the corner, weapons ready. Nico felt his blood run cold. Dr. Thorn in the flesh, and just as he remembered. A cruel, thin aged face, of a man in his late forties with one brown eye, and one blue eye and trimmed grey hair. The rest of his body was that of a lion, with a long scorpion tail that launched a series of spines towards them.

The two spun out of the way and the spines impaled against the wall. “Get to the girl!” Percy shouted as he began to go for Dr. Thorn. Whether or not the monster recognized them, Nico didn’t know. All he knew is that he heard the sound of the manticore roaring as Riptide bit into his calf, and the sound of Percy grunting as the monster bashed his paw against his chest, sending him flying back into a cabinet of medical tools that clattered to the ground.

Nico vaulted over a chair as he sprinted towards the table that was illuminated by the faint, flickering light. _Don’t be dead,_ he thought to himself as he rushed forward, skidding to a stop.

The body was still. The body was cold. And the body was plastic. It was a training manikin.

“It’s not real!” He called back.

“What- oof!” Percy caught a spine in the leg and immediately doubled over as pain erupted through his veins, like they were burning with acid rather than blood. Dr. Thorn gave a cruel laugh as he padded forwards, stepping over his tools and papers that had fluttered to the ground.

“Apologies, demi-brat, but I’ve worked here far too long to have you-” he stopped, paw in mid stride. “...Jackson?”

“Percy!” Dr. Thorn growled and looked over - just in time to watch as Nico plunged one of the spines that had missed him into the Manticore’s flank. The monster’s eyes dilated in pain as it roared, twisting around to try and claw the spine out of his fur with his paw.

Percy jumped to his feet, spinning his blade around and swung it like a baseball bat, smacking it into the manticore’s jaw and it stumbled backwards, disoriented. Nico kicked the surgical table towards the manticore, knocking the monster off his feet and it landed on the ground hard, with a groan, hidden from sight behind the flipped over table.

“Enough!”

A hand reached up, grabbing the edge of the table as Dr. Thorn pulled himself upwards. He’d shifted back into his mortal form, a lean, middle aged man with a narrow face and grey hair. He was wearing a doctor’s uniform and he put his hands up. “Jackson, di Angelo,” Dr. Thorn growled, his eyes shifting warily between the two demigods. “I have to say, I’m surprised to see you.” He flinched. The spine was now stuck in his calf and he reached down, pulling it out with a grunt. “Are you here to kill me, or do you need something.”

Nico narrowed his eyes. This man had changed. There was something submissive in him. While he kept his eyes steady on the two demigods, his form was tense, like a rabbit ready to spring away at any moment. He’d turned into a coward.

“As much as I would love to kill you, that’s not what we’re here for.,” Percy said coldly as he approached. Nico arched a brow. There was a dangerous aura radiating from the son of the Sea God as he converged on the monster. Dr. Thorn’s eyes widened as he stumbled backwards away from the demigod until his back hit the wall and Percy threw his hand out, slamming it into the wall beside Dr. Thorn’s head. “Sit down. We need to talk.”


	9. The Lady of Dove's Condition

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After learning crucial information from Dr. Thorn, Percy and Nico decide to kill time in a nearby hotel. And while they're there, they get an unexpected and highly unwanted visitor.

Dr. Thorn strained against the chain that kept him subdued in his chair. Fortunately, he had quite a few celestial bronze restraints hanging about. Percy and Nico stood over him scowling, arms folded over their chests. “You two boys have come a long way to find me,” Thorn chuckled, his eyes glinting as he looked up at Percy. “Tell me, is that girl of your missing again? As delightful as it was, watching her torment of holding the weight of the sky, I’m afraid I don’t have her.”

“Shut up,” Percy snapped viciously, his fists curling at his side. “We’re here to get answers from you. To start, mind explaining what that is about?” Percy questioned, motioning to the fake body that was now in pieces on the ground after their scuffle. “And how the hell you got here in the first place?”

Dr. Thorn gave another tug at the bindings. Grey hair fell in his multi colored eyes as he watched the two demigods warily. “...I haven’t been hurting anyone,” he said slowly. “After I reformed, I was....approached by one of the Gods. They promised me I’d be destroyed if I caused trouble. I took to the medical field, and opened my own clinic. I’ve been studying to further my research.”

Percy sneered. “I’m finding that hard to believe.”

Nico stayed quiet, watching Thorn. He really was always a coward. Even back before, Thorn did nothing but feed off of Atlas’ notoriety and power. And now, he’d slunk into the shadows to make a living, hiding away from the demigods and the divine. “So what, no more stalking and murdering kids?”

Thorn shook his head vigorously. “I can refer you to my recommendations.”

“Proving your innocence isn’t why we’ve come.” Percy knelt down in front of Thorn, keeping his eyes level with the monster’s. “We came for answers.”

“Oh?”

“Last night, Camp Half-Blood was attacked.”

A twisted smile crept over Thorn’s thin lips. “How exciting. How many casualties? I’m sure it was spectacular.”

“Too many.” Thorn’s eyes lit up with glee. “We’re tracking done one of the leaders of the attack. Michael Yew. We have a lead that he’s here, in New York City.”  

Thorn’s eyes drifted between Nico and Percy before he leaned back, lifting his bound palms. “I might know a thing or two,” he said slyly. “But what will I receive in return?”

Percy was moving before Nico could even blink. A snarl tore from between his lips as he grabbed Thorn’s collar,slamming his head back against the chair. Riptide was suddenly glowing in his hand as he lifted the tip of the blade to Thorn’s throat. The monster’s pupils had dilated in terror as he strained his neck away from the tip of the blade. “What you’ll _get_ is a reason for me not to turn you to ash here and now,” Percy seethed. His eyes were narrowed to verdant slits.

“How unlike you, Jackson,” Thorn claimed, looking up from the sword at his neck. “Since when does the dashing hero threaten helpless enemies?”

“They don’t,” Percy growled. The tip of his blade pressed deeper against Thorn’s throat. “But I do.”

Thorn swallowed, beads of sweat collecting at his brow. “All right,” he fretted. “All right, fine. You win.” He relaxed as Percy pulled the sword away, watching it warily before looking up to Percy and Nico. “Michael has been gathering mortals. All kinds, but mostly those involved in the city’s underworld. Mortal one at that, not the land of the dead. Mob lords, gang leaders, corrupt officials. He’s hosting a ball in a secret facility located in the city’s subways, and has invited them all there.”

Nico frowned as he leaned back against the wall. “What would Michael be wanting with mortals?”

“He says he has a deal that they may be interested in.”

“Mortals siding with Michael would be a problem,” Percy muttered, running his fingers through his hair distractedly. “Our weapons can’t hurt them, and I doubt Chiron would condone the Hephaestus cabin forging weapons specifically to take them out.”

Nico nodded. “Where in the subways is this taking place?”

“I actually received a invitation,” Thorn nodded towards a letter that had been knocked to the ground. “It has a map on the back,” as Percy stooped to retrieve it. “I didn’t open it, I told Michael, ‘No sir, I’m not going to be a part of whatever-’”

“Be quiet,” Percy grunted, shredding open the letter. It was written in Ancient Greek and he flipped it over, eyes roaming swiftly over the map. Giving a click of his tongue, he tucked it into his pocket and looked to Nico. “I know where it is.”

“Perfect!” Thorn said. “Now, will you mind untying me. I need to prepare my office for tomorrow.”

“You don’t deserve this,” Percy’s eyes flashed. “Not after what you did to her.”

“Ah. Still stuck in the past, Jackson?” Thorn leaned forward, teeth emerging behind a foul grin. “Let me guess. That attack on the camp - she’s dead, isn’t he.”

Nico reached out, snatching Percy’s shoulder as the man began to advance. “Don’t,” Nico said lowly. “He’s just baiting you.”

Percy clenched his jaw, glowering down at Thorn. The man had the most arrogant expression drawn over his features as he eyed Percy knowingly, before finally, Percy gave a snarl and tore his shoulder away from Nico, striding from the monster as he disappeared up the stairs.

Thorn gave a sharp laugh. “Ha! That boy. He doesn’t have it in him to be cruel.”

“I’m not so sure,” Nico mused, watching where Percy disappeared. “But even if he doesn’t, you can be damn sure I do.”

“Yes, but if you did, you would have already done so.”

Nico rolled his shoulder. “You’re right. I can’t be fucked to waste my breath on you.” He turned to leave, before he paused, and spun around, smashing his fist into Thorn’s face. Blood spurted from the manticore’s mouth as he choked, lifting a shoulder to try and swipe away the blood on his lips.

Nico rubbed his knuckles. “That was for Bianca, you pathetic worm.”

 

 

When he left the building, Percy was leaning against a lamp post, his head knocked back. For a moment, Nico was sure he was asleep before he roused and looked over. “The masquerade doesn’t start until tomorrow night,” Percy sighed, pushing off. “Which means we have tomorrow to dink around and buy some clothes.”

“Do you have enough money in there for suits?” Nico nodded to the backpack.

“Yeah. I have a couple thousand.” He hesitated. “Annabeth and I been saving, for when we finally left camp.”

Nico put his hand comfortingly on Percy’s shoulder. “Let’s find a hotel then and get some shut eye. Hades knows we could use it.”

 

 

Exhausted swept over the pair as soon as they entered the hotel. A beady eyed woman with her glasses shoved up her nose was filing through some papers when they strode in and she looked up. “How may I help you,” she squacked, eyeing the two.

“Hey,” Percy greeted tiredly, resting his hands up on the counter. “We’d like a room, please.”

“One room available. One bed.”

Typical.

“Really?” Percy questioned. “No other room? Only one bed?”

“Take it or leave it, sir.”

“Guess we’re leaving, then,” Nico spun around to leave before Percy snatched his shoulder, dragging him back.

“I’m about to pass out right here,” Percy muttered to him. “You can stick to your side and I’ll stick to mine. We’ll take it.” After paying for the room he swiped the key from her and motioned for Nico to follow him, his feet dragging as he started for the stairs. Nico’s face was hot as he tailed after Percy, keeping close to him as they ascended the steps.  

“We should get up early,” Percy said with a yawn as they reached their room, sliding their key across the panel. “We’ll want to have our shopping finished before noon, otherwise it’ll be really crowded.” And he pushed through the door.  

It was a small, modest room worth its moderate price. A white bed with maroon covers dominated the side of the room, and light from the city seeped in through the curtains that were draped over the balcony window. Percy dropped his gear off on the bed with a groan, face planting onto the bed.  “Gods,” Percy muttered into the bedspread, fanning his fingers out over the blankets. “So nice.”

Nico sat down on the edge of the bed, careful to keep distance between them. “Tired?” he mused with a small smile. Percy responded with a sleepy nod, opening one eye.

“I’m sorry, for dragging you out here. I just didn’t know who else I could bring.”

Nico waved his hand dismissively. “It’s fine.”

Percy’s gaze softened as he pushed himself up and gave a stretch. “I’m about to pass out, but I really shouldn’t just let you starve,” he said. “I know you didn’t eat dinner. There’s a diner open down the street a little ways. I’m going to go and grab us some food, okay?”

“Yeah. Be careful.”

Percy twirled Riptide in response, the pen flashing dexterously between his fingers. “I’ll be okay. Be back soon.” He reached into his bag, pulling out a jacket which he shrugged into before vanishing out the door, closing it behind him.

Nico stood for a long while, clenching and unclenching his fists as he watched the spot where Percy had just been laying only moments before. _What the hell are you doing, di Angelo. Didn’t you leave to avoid all of this?_ He tore his fingers through his hair in frustration, now painfully aware of his dirt and blood caked skin. A shower. Maybe a shower would wash away all this gunk in his head.

Sliding out of his shirt, he made his way into the bathroom, stepping into the shower. Warm water splashed against his tanned face, plastering his raven hair against his forehead as he dragged his fingers down his face. The sound of the city faded against the roar of water slapping against the shower floor, and the aches from his earlier bruises eased from the shower’s soft caress.

Yet the shower did little to quell the confusion.

Nico closed his eyes, grating his teeth. Damn it, Jackson. Why was he always doing this. Finding reasons to make him care. He traveled across the country just to put some space between himself and the one person that had this effect on him. Spent years in seclusion just so he wouldn’t have to feel this heavy weight in his heart every time those verdant eyes grazed over him, even for a moment.  When Percy came to the school, he figured it would be fine to return. Especially with that deal in place.

Now, it seemed like that deal was a distant memory. And here he was, sharing a hotel room with Percy Jackson. He’d made such a mess of this.

He didn’t realize he’d been tugging on his hair until he felt an ache growing on his scalp and he sighed, letting his hands fall to his side. He’d have to leave after this. He was falling in too deep. He couldn’t afford to get hurt.

He turned the shower off, and stepped out. Percy wouldn’t be back for a few minutes. So he had some time to relax. He was in the middle of fastening the towel around his waist as he stepped out of the bathroom - when he froze and the towel fell around his feet. “ _Mom?”_ he blurted.

A woman lay across his bed, garbed only in the most revealing black lace lingerie. Dark, raven hair flowed across her olive back like an ebony waterfall, and large brown eyes gazed out at him, maroon red lips pulled backwards into an amused smile.  Her breasts were pressed into the bed as she pushed herself upwards to gaze at Nico with a soft laugh. “Well, well,” purred the woman, her deep brown eyes fluttering flirtatiously. “You have _quite_ a nice figure, young man.”

Nico’s cheeks were burning as he quickly stooped down, grabbing the towel and hurriedly tugged it around his waist. Nope. Definitely not his mother. But she did look similar. The woman moved with carnal grace as she drew upwards so she was sitting, crossing her legs and her black nails dug into the bedspread as she watched Nico intently. “Well?” she said briskly. “Sit down, we have much to talk about.”

“Like..?” Nico found himself moving towards her, despite every alarm screaming in his head saying ‘no.’

“Well, about this _issue_ of yours, sweetheart!” the woman put her arm around Nico’s waist as soon as he sat down beside her.

Nico found it difficult to focus around her. Being interested in men didn’t mean he couldn’t appreciate the beauty of women, and hell, was she beautiful. Long lashes hungover hickory coloured eyes, her skin dark and exotic.  He swallowed, scooching over to put some distance between him and her. Yeah. He knew exactly who this woman was. “I don’t have an issue, Lady Aphrodite,” Nico said slowly, careful not to stumble over his words. “Except that I’m very tired, and would like to sleep.”

“Tsch, sleep can come later,” Aphrodite said with a wave of her hand.  She stood up from the bed, hips undulating as she strode into the middle of the room. “I’ve been watching you for some time, di Angelo. You’re one of my favorite programs!”

“Programs?”

“Nico di Angelo, the broody, bitter, nobody son of Hades-!”

“Hey!”

“Who has fallen in love with Perseus Jackson, the Hero of Olympus.”

Nico’s voice was caught in his throat as he gaped up at the goddess. She twisted around to smirk knowingly at him, twisted and wavy black hair falling to the small of her back and he scowled. It would be useless to lie. “Yeah,” he said lowly. “And what of it?”

“Well it’s just a tragedy! Or at least, that’s what your station is labeled as. You helped Percy save the world, nearly sacrificing your life for him...and for what? He ends up with that girl...” Aphrodite pursed her lips, plucking Percy’s ring up off the table pressed into the back of the hotel, rolling it between her fingers. Nico gritted his teeth, lifting off from his seat a bit. “And leaves you with no one.” She set it back down. “A shame that they didn’t work out. They were such a cute couple...but nothing beats forbidden romance. So you travel across the country to escape him and now...you're here! Sharing a room with your true love.”

Nico gave a humorless laugh. “Percy is _not_ my true love.”

“And yet you’ve gone all these years and no one has caught your eye.” Aphrodite tapped her full, blood red lips. “Curious, don’t you think?”

“...he’s _straight._ ” Aphrodite arched a sly brow. Nico’s heart missed a few beats. “...isn’t he?”

Aphrodite hummed, lifting her hands innocently. “How am I supposed to know? I’m only a spectator, and I’d hate to spoil the ending for myself.”

Nico scowled. “You’re the goddess of love. Of course you’d know.”

Aphrodite went on like she hadn’t heard him. She sat down on the bed and crawled towards Nico, and he had to make an effort to keep his eyes from wandering. “If you kissed him, I’d sure you have all the answers!”

“He just lost Annabeth. I’m not kissing him.” He stood quickly, glowering down at the goddess. “I don’t even want this. If I could just get rid of my feelings for him, I would. But I can’t. So I’m not going to fan the flames by chasing after a relationship that shouldn’t even happen.”

Aphrodite regarded him shrewdly. “All right, Nico,” she purred after a moment. “I have a deal for you.”

“I don’t know, the last deal I made didn’t go very well.”

Aphrodite smirked. “I think you’ll fancy mine.” She stood. Her raven hair fanned around Nico as the goddess curved around the boy, body close to his while she circled him like a vulture. “You want to be rid of your feelings for Jackson,  yes?” Her nail drew across his back. “I can make that happen.”

“How?” Nico growled, watching her.

“If Percy Jackson does not kiss you in one week’s time, I will rid you of your feelings for him.”

Nico exhaled. “Will you..” he swallowed. “Will you fix me?”

Aphrodite paused, watching him curiously. “Fix you?” Nico scowled. “Oh. Honey, there’s nothing wrong with being gay! It’s perfectly normal. But if that is what you wish, then fine. If Percy Jackson does not kiss you in one week’s time, I will rid you of your feelings for him and, as you say, _fix_ you.”

“And if he does?”

“Then there’s nothing to fix.”

Nico hesitated. This is what he’s been looking for, all this time. A chance to get rid of it all. To get rid of Percy Jackson. To just be normal. Yet...why did it feel so wrong?  

“All right,” Nico said quietly. “Deal.”

“Splendid!” Aphrodite snatched his hand, squeezing it warmly. “I can’t wait for the next episode. It will be so exciting!” She stood, waving her hand. The black lingerie stretched across her body, tendrils of satin webbing across her body until a midnight gown draped down to the floor.

She was about to leave, before the goddess paused, and snapped her fingers. “Of course! How could I forget.” She spun around and gave another flick of her hand.  

Light enveloped Nico, and he shielded his eyes, stumbling backwards. Through the luminance, he could hear Aphrodite’s voice echoing as she faded. “Until we meet again, Nico di Angelo. I know you will not disappoint me.”

The light faded, and Nico blinked owlishly, rubbing his eyes.

What the hell just happened?

At that moment, the door opened and Percy breathed, striding through. His hair was soaked against his forehead and his jacket was damp. “Raining pretty hard out there,” he muttered, kicking the door closed and gave his raven hair a shake. “I grabbed us some piz....za...” Percy’s jaw dropped as he stared at Nico.

“What?” Nico demanded impatiently.

“What the hell are you wearing?”

“What do you mean.” He looked down - and cursed.

The towel was gone, and had been replaced with a suit. The quality was exquisite, versace made and completely black. From the dress pants to the shirt to the waistcoat. The only thing missing was the jacket, but looking down onto the bed, he saw that his leather trench coat had melted into a formal black tailcoat. And beside it was another suit, the jacket white, slacks black and a deep blue tie.

“Nico?” Percy stuttered, eyeing him.

“I- I-” Nico stammered, tugging at his collar. “Aphrodite.”

Percy scowled. “Well...I guess that explains it. But why would she...these are so expensive,” he muttered under his breath as he crossed the room in just a few paces, lifting the white coat up. “Why would she do this?”

Nico licked his lips nervously and turned away. “I don’t know.”

“There’s masks here, too,” Percy plucked up the half masks from the bed. “This one’s got to be yours, right here.” He frowned, setting them down gently. “This has to be some kind of trick. Maybe if we put them on, we’ll fall in love with the first person we see. Or we turn into sea foam.”

“But would it really be wise to refuse a gift from a goddess?”

Percy sighed, shaking his head. “No. It wouldn’t...still. Careful when we wear them tomorrow evening, okay?”

“Yeah. All right.”

“Good.” Percy moved the suits carefully over on top of the table, laying them out so that they wouldn’t get wrinkled and yawned, stretching backwards. “Gods, I was going to take a shower tonight, but I’m exhausted.” He grinned, walking over to ruffle Nico’s damp hair. “Seems like you got to it already, though.”

Nico batted his hand away. “You should sleep.”

“Good idea. I call the right side.” As Percy pulled off his shirt, he practically face planted onto the bed. Nico rolled his eyes skyward as he snatched his pants from earlier, going back into the bathroom. They’d have to buy something more comfortable to sleep in, tomorrow. This sucked. After five minutes of painstakingly navigating through buttons and straps, careful not to tear or mess up the luxurious suit he scampered out of it, hanging the clothes up on the shower wrack as he pulled on his jeans.

Had he made a mistake back there.

But no going back now. The deal was made. Now, he had to keep Percy as far away from him as he could. Which was going to be a hell of a lot more difficult when they’re sleeping in the same bed. He’d been staring at his reflection in the mirror for a moment and he sighed, pushing his damp hair back. Go time.

The lights were off when he left the bathroom. Percy was sprawled out over top the covers, breaths soft and even as his chest rose and fell. He must have been tired, he knocked out like a light.  Nico, careful not to disturb the sleeping boy, slid onto the bed on the other side, pulling the covers over him and closed his eyes.

From outside, he could hear the sound of the city. The lonely honk of an irritated cab driver. The rushing of traffic outside his window. The roar of an airplane hovering overhead. And Percy’s soft breaths as he slept beside him. There was barely any space between them. Nico could feel his spine brushing against Percy’s arm as he slept, and if he scooted away any further he’d be rolling off the bed. If only he could pass out as quickly as Percy could.  

Giving a deep breath, Nico closed his eyes, curving inwards and away from Percy. Just one night.

Just one night...

 

 

When he woke, it was still dark. The city lights were pouring into their room, and he felt strangely empty. Pushing upwards, he glanced over to a clock resting on the nightstand tiredly. 4 am. Percy wasn’t beside him. Nico gave a start, looking around wildly for a moment before his eyes focused on Percy, who stood a few feet away. He was leaning against the frame of their balcony, the glass door opened up allowing for a cold nighttime breeze to billow in, pushing the boy’s hair about as he gazed out over the city.

He didn’t notice Nico was awake. That was fine. The last thing Nico wanted right now was a dramatic heart to heart, and he could tell there was a lot going on in Percy’s head right now. So quietly, he pulled the blanket over him further and turned around.

It was quiet, save for the ambience of the city. Then he heard it. A single subdued, choked sob. The one sound shattered the silence and Nico felt his gut twist. Another broken sound emitted from Percy and when Nico felt a thunk vibrating through the floor, he shifted to look over his shoulder. Percy was down on his knees, gritting his teeth as he grasped something tightly in his hand. The light from the city illuminated his anguished features as he lifted a hand to his face.

He could practically feel Percy’s grief pounding in him like a drum.

There’s no way he’d be able to get to sleep like this. “Percy?” he asked into the darkness.

Percy didn’t respond. The son of Poseidon gave a slow, ragged breath as he attempted to collect himself, swiping the back of his hand across his eyes. “Sorry, Nico,” he finally responded, his voice hoarse. “I didn’t mean to wake you up.”

“You didn’t.” Nico sat up, swinging his legs over the edge of the bed.

They were silent, as they listened to the city. Music pounded from someone’s car as they drove by, the evanescent beat there then gone, replaced instead by the sounds of laughter as a crowd of people walked by the hotel. Yet even with all of the life outside the facility, there was a suffocating silence in that room.

“I should have been there,” Percy muttered. “I mean...I was, but you know, _there._ But I did nothing.”

“...it wasn’t your fault. You were uh..knocked out during it.”

“It doesn’t matter. Either way, I didn’t protect her. Like we promised each other we would.” He opened his hand. Nico caught the glint of silver in his palm. The ring.

Nico was quiet for a moment, before he stood and walked over. Wordlessly he dropped to his knees, and to both of their surprise, hugged Percy from behind. His arms wrapped around the demigod’s chest as Nico buried his face into Percy’s back. “It wasn’t your fault,” he repeated.

Percy’s back shuddered as he took a ragged breath. Then, the older boy began to shake as he drew his knees up into his chest, wrapping his arms around his legs. Muted sobs wracked his body and Nico moved around to embrace Percy, his cries drowned by the suffocating silence and sound of the city.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> .....I just... read a section of the burning maze in the Apollo series and I...am..heartbroken. T_T The only way to cure my broken heart is posting an early chapter. And now back to brooding.
> 
> The idea of Aphrodite chilling out watching people in love like tv programs is inspired by the fanfiction Tribulations, which you can find https://archiveofourown.org/works/2061345 here.


	10. Masquerade of Shadows

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey you guys! So sorry for th late update. I recently entered a contest that goes on for a hundred days where every day you have to write a prompt going along with a certain theme and that drained a lot of my muse. But I had a burst of it today so I figured i'd finally put up a chapter. Hope you enjoy!
> 
> Also: Can anyone guess who the new unnamed character may be?

When Nico woke, he felt unusually hot. His eyes opened a tad, and he could see light streaming in through the windows, and the sound of a city that was waking up with the dawn.  Something was poking against his back... he turned and nearly shouted. Percy was laying behind him, his nose buried between Nico’s shoulder blades, an arm wrapped lazily around his waist.

Nico sprung away from Percy so quickly he hit the floor with a smack as he slid off the edge of the bed, rousing Percy tiredly from his slumber. The son of Poseidon’s green eyes opened innocently, long lashes brushing against his cheek as the older boy yawned and stretched, completely oblivious as he leaned over, eyeing Nico who was a sprawl of blankets and limbs on the ground. “...what are you doing on the ground?”

“Enjoying the fucking view,” Nico spat, sitting up and Percy arched a brow before giving a smirk, sprawling like a french woman.

“And is it a good view?”

_“No.”_

Percy laughed, giving a stretch. Nico made himself a mental reminder to build a pillow wall between them next time they crashed.  

“Okay, well while you’re sightseeing, I’m going to take a shower. We should leave soon so that we can figure out where exactly this place is.”

Nico sat up. “I thought you knew where it was.”

Percy rubbed the back of his neck and gave an anxious smile. “I ah...remember where the subway entrance is. The system was shut down pretty quick after it was announced so it should be deserted but I have no idea what it looks like down below, so we’ll have to do some searching.”

“Great.”

 

 

It was that moment Nico decided suits were definitely not his thing. He felt like he was being strangled with the black tie wrapped around his collar, tugging the fabric so close to his throat he felt the need to be constantly tugging it away. The suit was hot and heavy, the sleeves unbroken and nearly impossible to bend.  He gazed at himself in the mirror, a frown tugging at his lips as he turned slightly, getting a better view. Today was the day. The day that they would sneak down into the abandoned subway system and infiltrate the masquerade. They had to look their very best if they were going to die a gruesome death.

He looked like a doll that had been done up by the time Percy had finished grooming him. While Percy wasn’t exactly a master fashionista, he at least knew how to make hair look nice. At least, hair that’s not his own. Percy’s rats nest had a bad habit of always sticking up everywhere. Nico’s had been groomed into a soft wave that curled around his ears, and his skull like half mask hung on the bridge of his nose. Okay, so maybe he didn’t look that bad. But suits still weren’t his thing.

“Looking good.” Nico turned. Percy left the bathroom, tugging on his cuffs as he grinned at Nico. His own suit boasted a dark blue tie that reminded Nico of the sea on a moonlit night. His mask was of the same shade of blue, outlined with silver trimming and the embellishments of waves along the edges.  

“Speak for yourself,” Nico said with a smile, striding towards the elder demigod. It was clear Percy had put a significant amount of effort into his hair. His normally messy hair was flattened down like some bloke from a preparatory academy and Nico tapped his chin. “Needs one correction though.”

“What- hey!” Nico’s reached over, ruffling up his hair until his usual strands were sticking straight up. “Nico! I worked for ages on those,” Percy whined, frantically pushing them down before Nico caught his wrist.

“Don’t bother. You look better when you don’t try.”

Percy blinked at Nico, before red coloured his cheeks. Nico followed suit, grumbling how Percy will always look like a walking trash can regardless of what he does with his hair before shoving his dress shoes on.  

“Well,” Percy said, quickly recovering from the awkward silence as he held the door open, a grin plastered on his face as he gestured. “To the dance, then.”

 

 

Navigating New York was easy enough. The entire city was as familiar to Percy as his backyard, and muttering under his breath he led the two through the maze of buildings that stretched up into the sky.  Finally, he paused at an entrance to the subway. It was abandoned, clearly, yet the mortals seemed to just walk by like nothing was there. A trick of the mist, no doubt. The stairs descended downwards into darkness, the concrete steps cracked with age and neglect.

“Here we are,” Percy breathed. In his pocket, Nico could see him fiddling with his pen. “After you.”

Nico nodded. The underground was his territory, and he started down the steps, their way lit as Percy drew Riptide, the glowing celestial bronze like a torch in the darkness.  At the bottom of the stairs was the terminal, empty guard posts and spider webs were strewn across the turnstiles. Beyond, empty tracks shot off in one direction as one end has been completely collapsed in a cave in. “Well, one way to go,” Percy said, before Nico hissed, grabbing his arm and tugged him into the darkness.

Percy stilled, their chests pressed together as they huddled in the corner. Nico willed the shadows to congeal around them, until they melted in with the darkness. Percy opened his mouth to ask what the hell was going on, but Nico’s breath was against his neck, uttering the softest ‘shh!’ he could manage, and they were still. Then, Percy could hear it. Voices.

“And you say you’re a...scythian dracaena, is it?”

“ _That’sssss_ right.” The telltale hissing of the snakeish woman echoed throughout the subway as they hid. Around the corner, a man and a dracanae stepped out. The dracanae looked fearsome as ever. A humanoid female, who would have been gorgeous save for her emerald green, scaled skin and the twin serpent tails that suspended her above the ground where her legs should have been.  And beside her a portly man in a suit with a bowler hat started towards the tracks.

“That’s a mortal,” Percy whispered quietly and Nico nodded. What the hell was going on?

“Fascinating,” the man mused. “Please, tell me more. How many of you are there? Would you be interested in a job?”

Their voices faded away down the tracks and Nico frowned, pushing off from Percy. “Yew is telling mortals about monsters...” he muttered. “But why?”

“Maybe he thinks they have resources that will be able to help him.” Percy sighed and shook his head. “Gods...if word gets out...I can’t even imagine what will happen. Chaos, for sure.”

“I doubt Tartarus will mind,” Nico noted as he followed Percy. They waited until they were sure the snake and mortal were out of sight and ear before following. They were silent for a moment. Nico’s hands had been tugging at his cuffs until he finally shoved them into his pockets to keep them still.  According to Percy, it wouldn’t be that long until they reached the Masquerade. Past that point though...well. Aphrodite had been keen enough as to include a couple fake invites. And they’d dressed nicely enough for it, so hopefully they’d pass off as members. Unless Michael Yew himself was the one greeting guests. Then, it would come down to Plan B.

He glanced to Percy. The boy’s face was drawn and tired, green eyes ahead as he led the way. “Percy...how did you know Yew. I can tell you recognized him.”

Percy sighed, shaking his head. “He...you know Lee Fletcher?”

Nico cringed, and nodded. Yeah. He knew Fletcher. The old Apollo Counselor, who was downed during the Battle of the Labyrinth. He’d seen it happen. “Yeah.”

“Michael Yew took his place once he was killed. Yew ended up fighting in the battle in Manhattan and..he...I thought he was killed.” He shrugged. “Turns out he wasn’t.”

“Did he seem like the kind of guy to lose his shit like this?”

“Never. I mean, sure he wasn’t like the rest of the Apollo kids. Dark hair, for one. Had a massive attitude. He could even go toe to toe with Clarisse and that’s saying something. But he loved camp.” He hesitated, then gave a shake of his head. “It’s my fault.”

Nico stumbled. “How the hell was it your fault?”

“...” Percy’s jaw tightened. Nico could see his fidgeting going haywire in his pocket. “There was a bridge. Kronos and his forces were starting to cross, and I...kind of blew it up. And Yew, he disappeared from the bridge. We all thought he was dead, nobody could find him...I suppose he thought no one looked for him, I don’t know.”

“Percy that wasn’t your fault.”

“I know.” A growl erupted from Percy’s chest. “It’s no excuse for what he’s done. And he’ll pay for-”

“Oi! You!”

That voice. It was familiar. They spun around, Nico’s hand already resting on his blade when he froze. A man stepped from the darkness behind him. At his side was a snarling, wolf like hound, with two heads and foam dripping from his bared teeth. And the man himself was no mortal. He had slicked back hair, and a razor thin moustache and keen, sharp black eyes. And three torsos. It was like they’d all been stitched together, with elongated arms coming out the sides and long legs that held him at nearly seven feet. He was dressed in a pinstripe suit, each a different color for each different torso. Red, white and blue. Apparently he was feeling patriotic.

Nico knew exactly who this creature was. Geryon. The owner of Triple G Ranch down in the Labyrinth. Thank gods they were wearing masks, otherwise he was sure Geryon would have recognized them instantly. Especially Percy, who as far as Nico knew, was the last to destroy him. “You boys heading for the Masquerade?”

“Yes, sir,” Percy said, his voice thick with subdued anger. Nico nudged him and Percy’s shoulder’s visibly relaxed.

“Perfect! I was heading down there myself. Young master Yew promised a fine deal, and an entrepreneur such as myself can never dodge an opportunity. Mind if I join you?” Orthus’ growls from beside him gave the notion that ‘no’ was not a valid answer, so they grudgingly agreed. Geryon walked between them as they traveled down the length of the abandoned underground tracks. Geryon was so wide, Nico had to actively keep his shoulder from knocking against the edge of the subway, glancing over at Percy who had a ‘kill me now’ expression drawn over his features.

“-magnificent young man, Yew is,” Geryon purred as they walked, hands somehow managing to clasp behind his broad back. “And excellent with bargains! He bought seven of my horses!”

From beside him, Percy wrinkled his nose, as if he could still remember the thigh deep horse manure. “I’m sure they’re magnificent animals,” he muttered.

“Oh, they are! Flesh-eating horses, my prized specimen - right beside the cattle of Apollo, of course. Of course, after I had to ah, _fire_ my last herdsman, Eurytion, this new lad I’ve hired is far less proficient. Terrible transaction.”

Nico and Percy cringed, glancing over at one another. Eurytion...they were positive he was dead, judging from Geryon’s words. “Now you guys, I assume you are members of the lad’s resistance.”

“Ah...yeah,” Percy said with a nod. “Joined up a little while ago.”

“I figured. Yew’s been picking up all sorts, especially the kids on the Titan side left behind after the war.” He gave a cackle. “So eager to fight, you mortals. You shed blood for the most trivial reasons, yet you break so easily when that mindless warring tears away someone you love. You’re very complicated and hypocritical creatures.”

“Must be easy then, just staying out of the fight and collecting your profit,” Nico said coldly and Geryon, without shame, gave a laugh, running a long finger along his thin moustache.

“Of course. I am not a combatant, boy. Ah! Here we are.”

A tunnel broke off from the subway track, at the end of which, lit up in bright white lights were a pair of double doors, guarded by two skeletons dressed in tattered security guard clothes. “And with that, I bid you adieu,” Geryon purrs, giving a dramatic bow as he strides up towards the skeletons. Nico and Percy hang back, watching as the monster hands over his invitation. The skeleton takes it, looks it over, then opens the door, allowing for Geryon to pass through - just barely, followed by his hound.

“Now or never,” Percy muttered, his voice quiet and Nico gives a stiff nod as the two approach.  From beyond the door that was now closing, Nico could see a flash of flowing dresses, the smell of wine and the sound of music emanating from beyond the portal before it closed, all going silent as they faced the two skeletons.

One of them extends a hand. Percy hesitates for only a brief moment before he reaches into his pocket, drawing out the invitation and hands it to the skeleton. They both hold their breaths for a moment, watching the skeleton as he examines the invitation. For a brief moment, Nico thought he saw the insides of its empty eye sockets glow a deep red, before it vanishes, and the skeleton moves aside, opening the door.

Their shoulders relax as they glance at one another, relief passing between them as they step through the door. And it was by far the strangest dance he had ever been to.

For a moment, everything looked...normal. The front half of the massive room was a ballroom, with a dining tables pressed into the back. Chandeliers, bone white glowed with flickering emerald light, giving off an eldritch verdant glow. In the back of the room, past the dining tables was a stage, with ebony curtains pulled across its length.  All around, dancers swayed with the music, the deep hum of the bass vibrating in Nico’s lungs as women in their colourful dresses and hidden behind slim masks danced hand in hand with their male companions. But then Nico realized... not all of these dancers were human.

All manners of monsters danced and spoke with the mortals.  He saw empousa, the vampiric demons slow dancing with mortal men, seeming to be resisting the urge to sink their fangs into waiting necks. He saw a pack of cynocephalus dancing with a group of mortal women, and Nico could see their faces flashing between that of handsome men and their grisly true forms - dog like heads with elongated fangs.  

He glanced over to Percy. Percy seemed blind to everything, his jade eyes scanning the crowd with his brows furrowed. He was looking for Yew. “We’ll find him,” Nico muttered, grabbing on to Percy’s sleeve. He could see several monsters and mortals beginning to watch them curiously. “But we need to do something, or we’re going to end up drawing attention.”

Percy looked as though he wanted to argue, but he gave a nod. “All right. But keep your eye out for him.”

They made their way into the ballroom. Nico could smell the distinct scent of wine as the dancers and patrons drank from jet black goblets, the red liquid staining their lips. He was sure the beverages differed between the monsters and the mortals. They made their way over towards the center of the large room, right beneath the largest chandelier where a fountain glowed a deep maroon, spraying water up into the air. Like Percy was just being drawn to it for comfort, he sat heavily down on the rim, gliding his fingers across the surface. He seemed to immediately calm, his shoulders slumping.

Nico scowled at the elder boy. Damn it, he looked exhausted. He was sure Percy didn’t sleep a wink last night, at least until they passed out together. Deciding he’d play look out while Percy rested for a moment, the boy’s dark eyes scanned out over the dancers, trying to pick out familiar faces.  He was shocked to see he could find a couple. He could see several mortals, whose faces he’d recognized on TV before. Mafia leaders. Government officials. And he was fairly sure he saw a monster or two that he remembered from the titan war and he exhaled, pulling his mask more snug around his face.

If they were caught here, they were so screwed.  

“Are you boys just going to stand there, or are we going to dance.”

Nico jolted, glancing over. A mortal girl was standing there, a silky black dress clinging to her figure as she watched Nico and Percy expectantly, pale blonde hair winding and wrapping its way all the way down to her wait. Nico almost felt sick. She looked awfully similar to Annabeth. Percy must have felt the same. His skin had turned a shade of ashen as he glanced away and Nico exhaled.

Time to take one for the team.

“Sure, we can dance,” he said, taking her hand as she led him out onto the dance floor.  As the music began to pick up the green glow from earlier was suddenly like a beam of light striking the heart of a crystal - a kaleidoscope of color that spanned across the walls, rotating until the colours and lights were beginning to give the son of Hades a fierce migraine.

Now normally, it’s the guy who leads the dance.

Not this time. While he learned simple etiquette from his mother ages ago - knowing how to dance was fairly proper back in the 1940s - he was nowhere near as aggressive as this girl on the dance floor. Her body swayed as she led the dance, pasty white fingers wound in Nico’s as she pulled his arms about, guiding him into twirling her lithe form as she danced around him. Her piercing grey eyes he realized had flecks of pink in them, and she flashed him a devious white smile as they moved closer and closer into the middle of the dancers. From an outward view - they likely looked very skilled. He was several inches taller than her, and she skillfully rotated around him in a twirl, their hands always connected.

Honestly though? He was just doing everything he could to not trip over his own feet. His eyes kept deviating over to Percy, who looked like he was trying not to watch.

“What, not your type?”

He glanced over. The girl was watching him shrewdly. “No, that’s not-”

She laughed. “Here. Let me get a quick makeover.” She pushed Nico backwards into the crowd, and he stumbled nearly tripping over himself. A wave of people passed in front of them and when he looked to find her - she was gone. What the hell?”

Suddenly - a pair of tanned, strong hands grabbed Nico’s hips, pressing into his back. A hot sensation crawled all the way up his spine and Nico shuddered as a warm breath was pressed against the back of his neck.  

“There. Better?”

The voice. Percy’s voice. Ncio spun around. Percy stood there, in all of his tanned, dark haired glory. His posture was seductive and charismatic, his black hair ruffled. But the smile did not belong to Percy. It was cruel, far too cocky and behind his mask their eyes were not a sea green, but cold steel with flecks of salmon.

“I - how did you, I-”

She - he?! - gave a sharp laugh, stepping forward. “Thought so. You smelled of gay the moment you stepped into the room.” Somehow, they danced with even more authority as Nico was now in the submissive role of a dancer. The crowd quickly parted as they dominated the dance floor, fingers wound as the shapeshifter began to take the lead and Nico swallowed.

“You - are you a daughter of Aphrodite?”

“Ha! That’s funny. I’ll take that as a complement.” They gave Nico a spin, and he nearly tripped over himself before they materialized on the other side of him, a finger gliding up the length of his spine. “Child of Apate,” they whispered against the back of his neck. “Goddess of guile, fraud and deception.”

“Nice. But I don’t appreciate you fucking with my head,” Nico growled, pulling away from her, detaching their hands. When he turned - the girl stood there again, this time a devious smile plastered across her face.

“Sure, Nico. Enjoy the rest of your dance.”

Nico was so flustered, it didn’t even register to him that she knew his name. He just watched with burning cheeks as she disappeared back into the crowd, leaving him there with butterflies fluttering about in his stomach. He still felt strange. Percy’s hands, no her hands left a strange sensation on the son of Hades, and he couldn’t quite shake it.

He almost wished it had been Percy there instead of her. Maybe Percy would want a dance..? No. Hell no, the fuck was he thinking. He rotated his sword in his pocket with a growl as he spun around - jumping a foot as he realized Percy was standing only a foot behind him. “Percy! ...you are Percy, right?”

“Nico, I saw-” Percy blinked, glancing down at Nico curiously. “What? Why wouldn’t I be?”

“Nothing.” Nico’s cheeks burned and he breathed. “What did you see.”

Percy’s dark green eyes flared with a swell of anger. “Yew.”

 

 

Sneaking through the dining area, it was clear that there was going to be some kind of performance later. There were candles propped up on the blood red table cloths, all the chairs facing forward towards the stage that they were approaching with knives and forks wrapped neatly in napkins beside plates. Nico wondered briefly what the performance would be as he followed through the room.

Percy suddenly stopped, pointing and as Nico poked his head around the elder, his eyes narrowed. He could see Michael Yew, speaking rapidly and quietly with a demigod. Nico strained to see his face, trying to recognize him, but he couldn’t. He was tall, lean, probably around Percy’s age with caramel coloured brown hair and a spray of freckles across his alabaster skin. The two ascended up the stairs, and disappeared, still deep in conversation.

“Stay here.” Percy hissed. “I’ll take him out. Then we can go home.”

“What? Alone?” Percy’s every motion was tense, like he was a panther ready to spring. For a moment, Nico didn’t move. Something felt...off. “No.”

Percy stopped, spinning on him with a scowl. “What is it?”

“We should make a plan.”

“We have a plan. I find Yew, and stab him until he drops.”

Nico flinched, his gaze roaming over Percy’s face. The son of the sea moved to follow the pair when Nico reached out, grabbing the other’s hand. _“Percy._ It doesn’t feel right. You can’t just charge in there and-”

“And what?” Percy snarled, tearing his hand away with a violent hiss. “When Bianca died, you just bolted. Well I’m not fucking running away like you did.”

The weight of the words seemed to dawn on both of them at the same time. Nico’s hand slipped from Percy’s, turning away slightly as the elder boy blinked, stepping forward. “I- ...sorry. I just-”

“No. You’re right.”  Percy blinked. Nico sounded strangely calm as the son of Hades gave a deep breath, shaking his head. “I did run away. I did a lot of stupid shit. I hurt my friends. Got wrapped up in dark arcana. I know what it feels like, Percy. I _get_ it.” Percy’s jaw tightened. “Which is why I’m trying to stop you from doing something stupid.”

For a long moment, he was worried Percy would ignore his warning. But after a few seconds, Percy exhaled, giving a nod. “So, what would you suggest then? Waiting until we can-?”

“Oh, don’t get me wrong. I totally agree with your stabbing idea.” The ghost of a smile slipped across Nico’s lips as he stepped forward, resting a hand on Percy’s arm. “Difference is between you and me, when I lost Bianca I was alone. You’re not. We take Yew together.”

Percy blinked, going slack jawed. Nico’s hand was out, his dark brown eyes glinting in the light that pulsed above to the beat of the music, a rare, small smile pulling on the edge of his lips. Finally, Percy exhaled, swallowing the knot in his throat as he grasped Nico’s hand. “Deal.”

 

 

The two crept up the stairs, keeping quiet as they made their way backstage.  They could hear voices. Pressing their backs against the edge of the wall, Nico glanced around the corner. The backstage was completely bare. Only dim lights from above glowed down on Michael and this other demigod as they stood right in the middle, Yew’s back directly to the two waiting demigods.

“I assume the attack on the Camp was a success then, Yew?”

Nico and Percy stiffened as they listened. A soft glow burned from beside Nico and he glanced over. Percy had uncapped Riptide, his forest eyes latched onto the ground, fingers wrapped so tightly around his blade his knuckles were white.

“You could say that,” Yew murmured with a sigh, running a hand through his dark hair. “Of course, it wasn’t nearly as bloody as I’d hoped it would be.”

“You had the Apple though. Just like you wanted. What went wrong?”

“Percy Jackson is what went wrong.” Percy tensed beside him. “He and the son of Hades have a habit of  interference, and destroyed the Apple before it could be used to its fullest extent.” Nico scowled. Fullest extent? What more could it possibly do?

“And will they still pose a problem?”

“It would be foolish to underestimate them. But those boys are broken. Especially Jackson.” Nico could almost hear the smile playing across Yew’s lips. “Now that his lover is dead.”

Nico made a grab at Percy as the other tore out from behind the corner, but his fingers grasped at nothing as raw rage tore from Percy’s throat as the demigod tore towards Michael and the other demigod, sword in hand. Riptide flashed in the faded light as he swung it towards Yew.

It should have been a clean hit. Nico expected for Yew’s head to fly off his shoulders but instead, Percy’s sword didn’t even connect with his skin. It just phased through, as though he hit smoke. The demigod stumbled back in shock, lips forming a question as Yew and the other demigod turned towards him, giving malign grins when suddenly - their bodies rippled, melting away into streams of white mist, that were sucked towards the shadows in the back of the stage. The mist was streaked upwards - towards a boy standing on a catwalk above, leaning on the railing and holding two tarot like looking cards - with figures identical to Michael and this stranger upon them. The mist was absorbed into the two cards, and the young man gave a dark smile.

“Wrong Michael, boys. Sorry.”

The lights above burst into dazzling luminance, so bright that Nico and Percy hissed, putting their hands over their eyes to keep from being blinded. The curtains opened - and a roar of laughter and cheers erupted from behind them. Still half blind from the sudden light, Nico turned - and his heart dropped into his stomach. The dining room was completely filled with monsters and mortals, laughing and jeering at the two as they stood, staring dumbly at their sudden audience when suddenly, the shriek of a microphone broke through the hysterics.

“I’d like to thank you all for joining me here today, on an occasion celebrating peace between our two worlds. But before we get down to business, we have a bit of a show we’d like to present to our mortal and monster guests!”

Michael Yew, pulling off a mask that had been covering his entire face, stepped lightly through the tables, grinning wildly up at the two demigods as he gestured towards them. “I give you the Heroes of Half-Blood Hill!”


	11. The Great Prophecy

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the long wait. I had a bad ear infection.

Nico and Percy were frozen like a pair of deer in headlights. From all around them, the laughter of mortals and monsters alike swirled around them, and Nico stumbled backwards, reaching for his blade. He grabbed the pocket knife from his pocket, flipping the blade upwards and it extended into his stygian iron sword, pressing his spine to Percy’s as the two went back to back.  From either side of the stage, they could see monsters pooling in, their fangs rippling in the light with drool dripping down from their chops. 

“Shadow traveling us out of here would be nice, you know,” Percy muttered and Nico scowled.

“Do you honestly think I can shadow travel when there’s so much light trained on us?!

“Now, I have to say, I was rather shocked to see our surprise guests here,” Yew purred from below, cradling his wine between two fingers as he walked amidst his guests, one hand hidden leisurely in the pocket of his suit. “But I can’t say I’m disappointed. Normally I would have thrown you both in the snake pit by now, but I’m intrigued. After all, we came here for a good time, did we not?” He gestured to his guests and they answered with a roar of applause.  “Very good then. And we have some magnificent entertainment here up on stage!”

“We are not your entertainment,” Percy snarled. Riptide was flashing in his hands faster than Nico could blink and the raven haired male pointed the blade towards Yew, who raised a brow curiously. “Come up here and face me yourself, Yew. Or do you need to hide behind your guests.”

His taunts fell on deaf ears. “Oh, I’m not a fighter like you are, Percy,” Yew chided with a shake of his head. “I would never dare test myself against you. The only opponent that would be able to challenge you is...well you!” He snapped his fingers, as if he had a great idea and he glanced upwards towards the catwalk.  “Torrington. Think you can oblige?”

From up on the metal bridge lingering over the stage, the freckled brunette gave a white smile, two cards already between his fingers - and Nico immediately saw an tarot rendition of himself and Percy on the cards.

He knew who this guy was. A son of Hecate, who was exiled after the second Titan War for serving Kronos. He was said to be the most powerful child of Hecate. Alabaster Torrington. 

“It would be my pleasure.” Torrington’s hands were a blur as he flipped the cards, and immediately a white mist began to spill from the images of Percy and Nico, billowing towards the two demigods. As soon as the mist hit the floor, it congealed and solidified until two beings stood there - Percy and Nico in the flesh. The two mistforms gave wicked smiles as they twirled their swords - identical to Riptide and Nico’s and the crowd began to cheer. 

“Percy, that’s-”

“I know who it is,” Percy said swiftly, gripping onto Riptide. “And I don’t think it’s Yew that we should be worried about anymore. Incoming!” 

The most forms of Percy and Nico sprang forward, their agility and prowess reminiscent to that of the originals as they launched forwards, blades twirling in the spotlight. Nico’s sword raised up only just in time, and stygian iron clashed against stygian iron as his mist form pressed on him, eyes glinting with mania as the olive skinned clone sidestepped his attack.  From in his peripherals, Nico could see Percy facing off with his own mistform, baring his teeth and ducking down as Riptide flashed over his head.

From below, the audience was now standing up, and Nico could hear a melting pot of laughter amongst the viewers as they pointed, watching the fight as though they were viewing sports on tv. It pissed him right the fuck off.  Another attack came flying at him, and Nico sprang backwards, the blade cutting only inches away from his throat. 

Springing to the side, Nico arched his blade in an upwards slash, connecting with his clone’s sword and sparks flew, much to the delight of the crowd and from behind him he could hear an ‘oof!’ as Percy was kicked in the chest, stumbling backwards until his back hit the wall. He watched Percy’s eyes widen, tumbling to the side as Mist Percy’s sword cut right where he’d been, slashing through the curtains.  

Damn it, they were fast. They mimicked their mastery over swordplay almost flawlessly, and while Nico was beginning to tire, he noticed that his adversary was barely even breaking a sweat.  He ducked and doge and wove between the attacks, barely even able to get a strike in himself and from below he could start to hear boos. Well, god forbid he doesn’t put on an exciting show. 

He’d been distracted for only a moment, and it was all his copy needed as he slashed his stygian iron blade down, slicing through his hand and Nico hissed, stumbling backwards while his hand bled.  

He knew the severity of his weapon’s bite. Stygian iron sucked the very soul from their enemy with every wound. Yet this.. He felt nothing. 

Does that mean...is it possible that it wasn’t real? 

As soon as the thought passed his mind, the pain seemed to ease from his wound. Squinting, Nico drew his thumb over the blood that was so clearly dripping down his hand, yet when he pulled away there wasn’t even a drop smeared.  

Illusions. Torrington could only pull illusions from the cards. “You’re not real,” he muttered, looking over to his clone. The victorious smirk had been wiped from the mistform’s face as the other Nico narrowed his eyes, grating his teeth. “You’re nothing.” Nico stepped forward towards his mistform, and the clone snarled, slashed his blade - and Nico didn’t even flinch as the sword connected with his skin, and promptly passed through him. 

And before his eyes, the other Nico faded away into white, smokey mist, sucked back into the card above. 

But Percy was still struggling. Still trapped in the illusion of fighting himself, he was stumbling backwards, panting as he rolled to the side as the other Percy slashed his sword, narrowly missing him. “Percy!” Nico shouted. Now that he could focus past the mist, he could only see just flashes of Percy’s clone, seeming to fade in and out of reality. “Percy, he’s not real!”

“The hell do you mean he’s not real?!” Percy shouted over his shoulder, before having to swiftly raise his blade, deflecting the blow of the illusion’s strike. Damn it, as long as Percy believed it was real, it would still be able to harm him.  Nico flinched as another blow came at Percy’s torso, the flat of the enemy’s blade striking his chest and sending the son of the sea god stumbling backwards, grimacing. 

Percy was starting to tire. Fighting himself, he was starting to stumble with exhaustion as he attempted to deflect the torrent of attacks that struck without rest. He staggered deflecting a particularly powerful blow, then shouted as the enemy slashed their sword upwards, raking it across his arm.

Nico had to do something fast.  

He saw the other Percy twirling his blade at leisure, reminiscent to a panther licking its chops before striking. Nico’s feet were moving before the blade even came down, springing in front of Percy. The son of the sea god’s pupils dilated in panic as Nico charged in front of him, the sword dropping down towards his neck and Nico’s name tore from between his lip.

“Nico  _ no!” _

The sword passed harmlessly through him. 

Nico turned to glance back at Percy, who was staring wide eyed. “Not real,” Nico repeated, turning to the mistform that had leaped back to scowl at the pair.  

Percy hesitated, stepping forward towards the illusion. His sword was lowered and Percy lifted his hand, slicing it through the misform’s abdomen and the illusion rippled and dissolved into mist, returning upwards to the card that summoned it clutched in Torrington’s hand.  

They had barely a second to celebrate their victory before the monsters began to spill onto the stage. Cheers erupted from the onlookers as they were surrounded - cynocephalus, dracanae and other beasts, baring their fangs at the pair as they extended spears and swords towards them.  Nico and Percy went back to back. “You ready to shadow travel yet,” Percy muttered, and Nico closed his eyes.

“We need to take out that light.”

“Oh, I don’t think so.” Michael leaped up onto the stage, his tailcoat rippling as he landed, his thin lips twisted upwards into a grin. Percy snarled, baring his teeth and he rushed forward - before Michael put out both of his hands. A blinding light erupted from his palms and Percy stumbled to a stop, throwing his hands in front of his eyes and Nico doubled over, his vision burned and burning. It was like a flash bomb had gone off. 

Immediately they were smothered by monsters. Nico felt his head crack against the floor as the creatures threw themselves on top of him, felt claws digging into his wrists being restrained on the ground. He heard a thud and a groan as Percy was tackled right next to him.  

A shadow passed over them as Michael knelt down between them, his eyes glinting with an almost crimson glow from the lights above. And yet...Nico could have sworn he saw something. A faint glimmer of gold, dead in the center of the son of Apollo’s pupils. “You’re not going anywhere, heroes,” Michael said coolly. “You’re mine.”

 

The boys were thrown into the cellar, hitting the ground hard. Pain shot up Nico’s ankle and he grimaced, sitting up as the door slammed shut.  The room was ungodly bright - above, nearly forty feet above massive lights shone down on them, making shadow travel all but impossible. The tiny cell was barely five feet across, with barely enough room to move.

“God damn it!” Percy snarled, pounding his fist on the iron door. The impact echoed throughout the abandoned subway track beyond the door. He uncapped Riptide, the bronze blade glinting in the light and he struck it against the door. It barely made a dent, yet the demigod snarled, eyes dilated as he spun, slashing at the door again. Sparks flew. 

“Percy, stop,” Nico said in a rush, racing forward to grab Percy’s arm. 

The man was heaving. His fingers trembled around his sword, and he grated his teeth, clenching his eyes tight. “He was right there,” Percy whispered. “We had him. We could have...”

“Percy..?”

The two spun around.

In the corner of the large cell, a girl sat up, chains rattling as she did so. Stringy red hair fell around her thin frame, freckles popping against her pale face and green eyes gazed at them with shock, and confusion. “What are you doing here?”

“Rachel?” Percy said, springing to the girl’s side and dropped to his knees. Her clothes were tattered, and her fingers shook as Percy took her hand. “Rachel, what in Hades are you doing here? I thought you moved to Manhattan?”

“I did, but they found me and brought me here. I-” Her voice died in her throat as her gaze landed on Nico and her eyes widened. “....oh no. You’re both here?”

“Yeah, we came here to take out Yew.”

She sprang to her feet, nearly falling over in the process. “Percy, Nico, you both have to get out of here! You can’t be here together, they’ll kill you!”

“Well, I’m pretty sure they were going to kill us either way,” Nico said, arching his brow.

“No, you don’t understand.” Rachel’s eyes fluttered. She nearly passed out right there, before Nico and Percy leaped forward, catching the girl in their arms and lowered her to the ground. 

Nico pressed the back of his hand against her forehead and scowled. A fever. “How long have you been here?” He asked as Percy propped her up, watching her with worry.

“About a week, now,” she said quietly, sitting up with discomfort. “I was attending college, making sure to stay close to the Empire State Building in case the gods summoned me and I came back to my apartment but a boy was there. He used these cards, created chains out of mist and captured me, brought me here.”

“But why would they want you?” Percy asked with a frown, shaking his head. “You’re just a mortal. The oracle sure but they can’t exactly use you for anything, unless...” he hesitated. Then his eyes widened. “The prophecy. Is this about the prophecy Kampe mentioned in my vision?”

She hesitated. “Yes.”

“Does it also explain why Nico and I shouldn’t be together?”

She gave another restless nod. Nico and Percy glanced at one another, before kneeling down by the girl. “The prophecy,” Nico prodded. “What did it say.”

She looked like she wanted to say no. But with Nico and Percy watching her so intently, she gave a breath, closing her eyes and repeated the prophecy slowly. 

 

_ The weave of the world will unravel, _

_ The threads of existence unwound. _

_ To the realm of unmaking they will travel, _

_ Where he whom is nothing lies bound. _

_ Enveloped in storms, seas and hellfire, _

_ Hides the forsaken soldier’s blade. _

_ Burning in the broken black spire, _

_ To sea and shadow he will fade. _

 

They were both quiet. Finally, Percy leaned back, rubbing his face. “The sea and shadow...I suppose that’s Nico and I?”

“That’s what Tartarus seems to believe.”

“You seem to have terrible luck with Great Prophecies,” Nico noted, and Percy pushed him lightly with a scowl.

“And to think I thought I could live out the rest of my life in peace. What about the rest of the prophecy, Rachel? Any idea of what it means?”

Rachel shook her head. “The only parts that I could decipher were the first two lines...it basically implies that Tartarus will attempt to merge the mortal world and his own realm together.”

“Which would be bad,” Percy guessed, and Nico snorted.

“Percy, that basically means that monsters will never have to reform. They’d be able to exist here, forever as immortals.”

“So, really bad.”

“Your powers of deduction never cease to amaze.”

“And that’s why it’s imperative that you two aren’t caught,” Rachel said, leaning forward. “He fears you’ll destroy him.” 

There was another round of silence, before Nico stood and glanced upwards towards the light that burned above. “We need to take that thing out.”

“And how do you suppose we get up there,” Percy said, standing beside Nico. 

They looked to the walls. Then they looked at each other. And the same thought flashed across their minds at the same time, and Nico felt a terrible sense of dread in his stomach.

“Oh no.”

“Come on, we can make it!” Percy said with a grin and Nico scowled.

“You’re having way too much fun at the thought of this.”

“Come on, haven’t you ever seen Emperor’s New Groove? All we need to do is put our backs together and walk up the walls. Once we get to the top, one of us can knock out the light, then we can shadow travel the hell out of here.”

“And when we get to the top? What do we do then?”

Percy blinked, rubbing at the stubble peppered along his jaw. “Uh...we’ll wing it?”

Nico groaned, rubbing his face. It was a terrible idea. But considering the circumstances...well, it was better than being slaughtered. “All right,” Nico finally said. “But we follow my lead.”

“Why your lead? I’m the one who thought of it.”

“Because you’ll get us killed.”

“No, you’ll-”

“Boys!” Rachel snapped and they both jumped, and scowled at each other. 

“All right, we’ll do it together. Hook your arms around me,” Nico said.  The boys went back to back, pressing their spines together and looped their arms around one another. “Right foot, then left, then right, okay?” Nico asked, looking back at Percy and the demigod swallowed, and nodded.

“All right. Let’s do this.”

They pressed their right feet against the wall, breathed, then started to make their way up. Immediately they pushed their backs together, legs wobbling as they slowly made their way up. It was awkward, requiring complete balance as they pushed their way up the wall, spines pressed against one another. “All right, we’re making progress,” Nico muttered, his voice wavering with the effort as he glanced down. They were nearly ten feet up now, and Rachel’s face looked way too amused for comfort as the boys made their way up.

“Don’t go so fast!” Nico snapped back at Percy. Percy in return pressed on Nico harder, forcing his knees closer to the wall in punishment.

“I’m not going fast,” he said. “You’re just going too slow. We have to go at the same speed.”

“No, you’re just pushing too hard.”

“Just take it in, damn it.”

Laughter burst out from beneath him and both boys glared down at Rachel.  _ “What?” _

“Oh, nothing.”

Nico muttered under his breath something about stupid redheads as he looped his arms tighter around Percy’s. They were nearly halfway up now, and his legs were trembling with effort as they made their way up. “As soon as the light is out, I’m going to shadow travel us down. Grab on to me when we do.”

“All right, sounds-”

The door burst open. Two laistrygonian stood in tarnished and ripped clothes and there was a scream as they grabbed at Rachel, wrenching her arms behind her. “Go!” Percy shouted, and the two picked up the pace, walking up the wall towards the light. Almost there... only a few more feet.  

One of the laestrygonians hurled a javelin towards them. It would have struck Nico dead in the back - before Percy snarled, pressing back against nico with all of his might, sending the younger boy launching up towards the light as he dropped, knocking the javelin out of the way and it struck the wall. As Percy started to fall, Nico quickly flipped open his pocket knife, extending his blade and just as he started to drop - slashed it against the light. The massive bulb burst, glass raining down as darkness closed around them. 

He could hear Percy shouting beneath him as he fell. He focused, calling upon his innate powers of darkness.  Shadows rippled and hissed in the room like tendrils of snakes and suddenly, Nico’s arms were around Percy’s waist, the darkness lowering the two to the ground as they landed gently, the younger cradling the demigod in his arms.

Percy grinned. “Oh, my hero.”

Nico dropped him, and Percy muttered an ‘ow’ as his ass hit the ground hard as Nico grabbed Rachel’s wrist and Percy’s arm. “Time to go,” he muttered.

The giants lifted their weapons to strike - but they were only seconds too late, as they struck down, and their blades hit nothing but swirling darkness as the three shadow traveled away.


End file.
